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APRIL 1991 ISSN 0952-7583 Vol. 4, Part 1 ‘nn pee SS
j i SRARY British Journal of JUN 17 1991
ENTOMOLOGY ~~ *#- N. &
and Natural History 7
Published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society and incorporating its Proceedings and Transactions
Price: £6.00
Officers and Council for 1991 President: A. J. Halstead, M.Sc. Vice-Presidents:
C. W. Plant, B.Sc., F.R.E.S. J. Muggleton, M.Sc., Ph.D., M.I.Biol., F.R.E.S.
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Ordinary Members of Council:
M. R. Brown D. A. Moore
G. N. Burton R. K. A. Morris
G. Collins Mrs F. M. Murphy
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S. L. Meredith D. Young Editorial:
Editor: R. A. Jones, B.Sc., F.R.E.S., F.L.S. 13 Bellwood Road Nunhead London SE15 3DE (Tel: 071 732 2440)
with the assistance of:
T. R. E. Southwood, K.B., D.Sc., F.R.S. T. G. Howarth, B.E.M., F.R.E.S. M. W. F. Tweedie, M.A., F.Z.S.
E. S. Bradford R. W. J. Uffen, M.Sc., F.R.E.S.
British Journal of Entomology and Natural History is published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society at the Editor’s address: BENHS, c/o The Editor, Richard A. Jones, 13 Bellwood Road, Nunhead, London SE15 3DE, UK.
The Journal is distributed free to BENHS members. ©1991 British Entomological and Natural History Society.
Typeset by Dobbie Typesetting Limited, Tavistock, Devon. Printed in England by Henry Ling Ltd, Dorchester, Dorset.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 1
MONOCHROA MOYSES SP. N., A NEW GELECHIID MOTH MINING THE LEAVES OF SCIRPUS MARITIMUS L.
R. W. J. UFFEN 4 Mardley Avenue, Welwyn, Herts AL6 OUD.
INTRODUCTION
For some years, I have been finding gallery leaf mines in August on Scirpus maritimus L. at Mucking reedbed, Essex. The larvae leave the mines to overwinter and I could find no way to satisfy them in their search for hibernation sites.
In spring 1984 I found one larva in a sleeve containing the remains of overwintered plants that had been grown in a plastic bowl full of mud and water. This was confined to a sweet jar containing fresh, stunted young plants growing in wet vermiculite expanded mica. A long mine was found in early July. A female of a very dull-coloured Monochroa emerged in early August. The insect was incessantly active, running about like an ant, and became worn before I could photograph it. In subsequent conversation, I found that Eric Bradford had an unidentified male moth in his collection, probably of this species, captured at a BENHS field meeting in July 1971.
My information led John Langmaid and others to look for this species on an autumn foray in Essex. Moths were reared by at least one technique, involving keeping leaves moist in Sphagnum moss in sleeves. I am told that in this environment the larvae remained in the mines over winter and pupated there, whereas in the field all the mines are empty by late October.
Monochroa moyses sp. n.
Holotype, male, Essex, East Mersea, larva 1. x. 1986, mining in Scirpus maritimus, moth emerged 3. vi. 1987 (Langmaid) (BMNH) (Fig. 1).
Expanse 8.5 mm. Forewings light fuscous. Scales with pale bases and fuscous tips. Costa not paler. A dark mark formed of first few costal cilia; visible both above and beneath the wing. A short row of ochreous scales form an inconspicuous upper oblique dash behind this mark. A dark stigma three scales wide and three long lies
Fig. 1. Monochroa moyses holotype.
2 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
on or just behind the mid-line of the wing opposite the tip of this dash. Pale dash is faintly continued as a series of dashes parallel to costa nearly to wing tip. A dark line close to the base of the cilia passes round the wing tip and fades there.
Hindwings grey, mottled by gaps in the single layer of scales. Costal cilia and those behind the finger tip darker than wing.
Scape with a blunt, deciduous seta sited antero-ventrally closer to base than width of the scape. Flagellum pale on basal half beneath. Alternate rings of scales becoming paler away from flagellar base. No visible ciliation beneath. Palpi with segment 3 as long as front tibia, 2 slightly longer. Palpi generally fuscous (cf. female).
Scales on tegulae, thorax and abdomen are noticeably transparent between lines of pigment. Abdomen creamy beneath, and at sides beyond segment 5; grey above.
Front legs creamy externally and ventrally; fuscous above and internally. Mesothoracic and metathoracic legs fuscous, mottled paler from scale bases, scales half as long as inner hind spur, tarsi with pale tips to segments. Tibial shanks without pale marks. Cilia of hind tibiae creamy. Tibial spurs all fuscous externally, hind mid- tibial spur four-fifths as long as space to apex of tibia. Hind apical inner spur longer than outer mid-tibial spur and reaching about two-thirds of metatarsus.
Genitalia: BMNH Microlepidoptera slide no. 24509 (holotype male, Figs 2-4). Apex of aedeagus (Fig. 3) sprinkled externally with backwardly directed spicules. Vesica with five sclerotized bars. Uncus vestigial. Vinculum thick, curved. Valva and sacculus similar to that of M. arundinatella (Staint.). Valva heavily sclerotized, apex rounded, sacculus hinged and lobed.
One pair of pencil coremata, a pair of fans on the intersegmental membrane (Fig. 4).
The females are paler and more clearly marked than the only available male.
Paratype female, Essex, East Mersea, larva 1.x.1986, mining in Scirpus maritimus, moth emerged 3.vi.1987 (Langmaid) (BMNH).
Generally as male. Forewings coloured yellowish-grey: the fine, ligulate scales with deep creamy bases and grey-yellow tips. Costal area creamy at base (across to the convex radial vein), tapering to nothing at the start of the cilia. The profile of the costa is fuscous from the base as far as the combined lengths of front tibia and tarsus. Fuscous cilial and stigmatic marks as male. Base of cilia deep cream, overlain locally by dark scales to form inconspicuous dashes round the wing tip. Forewings fuscous beneath, except for the ochreous costa between a dark basal zone and the cilia, also paler beneath pale costal cilia.
Palpi having segment 2 fuscous externally narrowly light banded from paler scale- bases, dorsally and internally above creamy. Segment 3 creamy white on basal half, fuscous on apical half with an oblique junction between the colours.
Spathulate scales covering crown of head glossy, appearing slightly yellowish mid- grey from above, but whitish grey from the side. Face scales pale grey.
Genitalia: BMNH Microlepidoptera slide no. 24508 (paratype female, Figs 5-7). Ovipositor long; apical lobes twice as long as wide, the ring of coarse setae one-third the length of the lobes from their bases; posterior apophysis about as long as the distance from the tip of segment 8 to the tip of the anterior apophysis. The latter distance is about 3.6 the apical width of the uncompressed eighth segment. Anterior apophysis nearly reaching the sclerotized colliculum of the ductus bursae.
Apex of segment 8 having about six setae visible ventrally. The pockets directed anteriorly giving a slightly hooked outline to the sternite.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 3
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it, of od ed 2 Sas mi eT oe oS
Bae edt?
Fig. 4. Monochroa moyses holotype coremata.
Ostial opening half way down segment 8, the duct delicate and unsculptured as far as the short colliculum, thereafter weakly corrugated. Signum a dense, irregular spot (figs 6, 7).
Fig. 8 shows the female genitalia of one of Karsholt’s Dutch specimens.
Other paratypes: two females, Essex, East Mersea, larvae 1.x.1986, mining in Scirpus maritimus, moths emerged 5.vi.1987 and 11.vi.1987, (in coll. J.R. Langmaid).
Other records: VC18 Mucking reedbed, Essex, larvae from about 1980 onwards, one female emerged early August 1984; one male E. S. Bradford 3.vii.1971. Larvae
4 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4; 1991
Fig. 8. Monochroa moyses female genitalia: Holland, Z. H., Melissant, 5.vii.83, leg. coll. H. J. Huisman, slide OK 4520 of O. Karsholt.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 5
Leigh, Essex, A. M. Emmet and D. J. L. Agassiz. Grays, Essex, one at light, D. J. L. Agassiz. VC25 Oxley Marshes, Kent, A. M. Emmet; Cliffe Marshes, Kent, larvae collected 28.ix.1986, one emerged 24.v.1987, P. Sterling.
A moth bred from East Mersea 6.vii.1987 by E. C. Pelham-Clinton is figured in colour in Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 2 plate 2 figure 4 (April 1989).
Mr O. Karsholt saw the material of M. moyses in Dr Langmaid’s collection and recognized three Dutch specimens as belonging to this species. He has kindly supplied the following details, together with the additional figure of female genitalia photographed by Bent Rasmussen and reproduced as Fig. 8: Holland, Z. H., Melissant, female 5.vii.1983, leg. & coll. H. J. Huisman, praep. OK 4520 (on slide). Holland, Zl., Waarde, male and female 17.vi.1978, leg. & coll. H. Van der Wolf, praep. Wf. 813, 2720 (on same pins as specimens).
The species is named after the prophet Moses in allusion to spending its youth concealed in rushes. There is a further ecclesiastical connection in that Mucking reedbed lies in the shadow of Mucking church, where lies buried its former rector, C. R. N. Burrows, who supplied much material to Pierce and Metcalfe for their still- reprinted work on the genitalia of the British Lepidoptera.
I have chosen to describe this species from Dr. Langmaid’s Mersea Island material because of its excellent condition and representation of both sexes. I am much indebted to him for the opportunity and for presenting a pair of specimens, of which the genitalia are figured, to the British Museum (Natural History). It requires experience of the group to mount the genitalia of Monochroa to show their characteristics. Dr Klaus Sattler kindly undertook to prepare the male and female genitalia and obtained the photographs of moths and genitalia. The photographs of mines and larvae are by the writer.
SIMILAR BRITISH SPECIES
M. hornigi (Staud.) is distinguished by the pale band at the tip of the hind tibia (BM continental material also has one from the mid-tibial spurs) and larger expanse (9-11.5 mm).
The female has a short ovipositor, the apical lobes as long as wide and with the coarse setae near their bases. The apex of the eighth segment has about 12 setae visible ventrally, the pockets on the sternite are directed internally within the outline of the sternite and the ostium opens near the base of the segment. The apex of the anterior apophysis lies at 0.4 of the length of the ductus to the colliculum. The apex of the eighth segment is poorly defined in the slide.
The male aedeagus has a long sclerite down one face, but is only micro-spiculate. The vesica has about 12 broadly-based thorns.
M. arundinatella (Staint.) normally has additional patterning and paler colour. Pierce and Metcalfe do not figure the genitalia, but there is a slide of Pierce’s in the BM collection showing both sexes. The female has a long ovipositor, but the ductus is smoothly sclerotized for the length of the anterior apophysis, the apex of which is only 2.5 x the apical width of segment 8 away from the tip of the segment. The signum is large, triangular, with two large thorns at the base and one at the apex.
The male genitalia of M. arundinatella are distinguished by the absence of external spicules on the aedeagus, but presence of many thin setae in the apical zone of the vesica. The uncus is very short, but not vestigial.
6 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
BIOLOGY
I have not found the eggs, and surmise from the long ovipositor of the females that they may be laid in the leaf sheaths of Scirpus maritimus. It is possible that they are laid on the underside of the leaves and are destroyed by the larvae as the mine is commenced.
Fig. 12. Lateral view of final instar larva.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 7
The mines are full depth, but always have the entrance hole, and sometimes a separate exit hole, on the underside of the leaf. They occur at any point along the leaf. The larva most commonly mines upwards from the entrance hole. The mine is devoid of frass, which is ejected from the point of entry (Fig. 9).
The larva begins by making a mine under 1 mm wide, but locally widened, and around 12mm long. It then moults. This mine is lined near the entrance with an opaque, robust layer of silk. Extending along the underside of the leaf for about the length of the larva either end of the entrance hole there is a fine, suspended film of silk, beneath which the larva emerges to excrete. Frass is sometimes caught up in this silk or around the entrance hole (Fig. 10).
First and some second instar mines were found at Mucking on 26.viii.1984. The second instar repeats the features of the mines of the first, except that the mine is now about 2 mm wide and typically 25 mm long. The larva begins by spinning the silken roof of about its own length above the proposed point of entry. The opaque silken mat within the mine is on the lower surface and extends for about the length of the larva from the entrance hole. The external silken film is not repaired when damaged.
The third instar makes mines up to 70-100 mm long, with frass accumulating at one end of the older mines. The larva leaves the mine for the winter. On 17.vi.1985 I found six mines, starting very narrow and with frass over their entire length. These all contained dead larvae, one being a husk full of hymenopterous cocoons.
The larva is white, cylindrical, with well-developed prolegs with crochets. The head is prognathous, square in front, with the mandibular area projecting. The larva is very active, wriggling backwards and forwards with equal facility (Figs 11 & 12).
I have not found the larvae in the lagoons behind sea walls, where the plant grows in deep water. At Mucking they are mainly round the edge of the reedbed, adjoining a dry bank or a wet field margin. At East Mersea on 5.ix.1989 many mines were already empty. The colony was almost confined to a then-dry ditch running perpendicular to the usual sea-wall lagoon.
There is already one linear miner, Elaschista scirpi Staint., recorded from Scirpus maritimus at a different season, but I have never found it. E. scirpi is well represented in the Hering mine herbarium, but there are no M. moyses there. Possibly a Continental foodplant will be found to be Scirpus sylvaticus, which offers similar conditions inland.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Col. A. M. Emmet and Rev. D. J. L. Agassiz gave invaluable help in choosing an apposite spelling for the specific name. All those mentioned as recorders have willingly helped to complete the story.
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Xylophagus cinctus Degeer (Diptera: Xylophagidae) new to Wester Ross.—A visit to Scotland to search for this and other insect species was successful in discovering this ‘old pine forest’ relict away from the well-known sites around the Cairngorm Massif. Larvae were found beneath bark on a fallen pine close to the Mountain Trail in Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve in Wester Ross (NH 0064), 4.viii.1989. This
8 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
site is some 100 km to the north-west of any of the previously known sites. The Reserve includes a large expanse of open pine forest, and also has other ‘old pine forest’ species, notably the hoverfly Callicera rufa Schummel (1. MacGowan, pers. comm.) and the beetle Pyropterus nigroruber (Deg.). The latter was found by O. W. Richards in 1953 but never published to my knowledge—the specimen is now in the collection of the National Museum of Scotland at Edinburgh. Dead birch timber at Beinn Eighe was found to contain larvae of X. ater sensu auct. Brit. not Meig.
The larvae were initially identified using the key in Brindle (1961), and subsequently confirmed using Krivosheina & Mamayev (1972).
My thanks to Iain MacGowan and the Nature Conservancy Council for their hospitality during my visit to Beinn Eighe, to Mark Shaw for access to the collections at the NMS, and to Dave Clements for checking my larval determinations.—Keith N. A. Alexander, 22 Cecily Hill, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 2EF.
REFERENCES Brindle, A. 1961. Taxonomic notes on the larvae of British Diptera. 2. The genus Xylophagus Meigen (Rhagionidae). Entomologist 94: 144-148. Krivosheina, N. P. & Mamayev, B. M. 1972. A review of Palearctic species of the genus Xylophagus Meig. (Diptera, Xylophagidae). Ent. Rev. Wash. 51: 258-267.
Polistichus connexus (Fourcroy) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) on Wimbledon Common—lIn the course of a pitfall-trapping exercise this year, on Wimbledon Common, I caught a single specimen of Polistichus connexus in a trap on 14.viii.1990. The trap was in heathland in the south east of the common, near the site of the Bluegate Gravel Pit, the ground vegetation being grassland with heather and scrub growing amongst it. The soil on the common is acidic, underlain with gravel and clay. Other carabids trapped in this and nearby traps included Carabus nemoralis Muller, O. F., Dyschirius globosus (Herbst), Pterostichus cupreus (L.), and Harpalus rufipes (Deg.) as well as Pterostichus madidus (F.) and Nebria brevicollis (F.). Overall the catch in heathland was much lower in numbers of specimens than in adjacent woodland.
The occurrence of Polistichus connexus so far from the coast is rather unusual. Donisthorpe (1939) did, however, record it from Windsor Forest, and Mr. A. A. Allen has caught it this summer at m.v. light in the London area (Allen, 1991). If the species is extending its range, the long hot summers we have had recently may be a factor.
I thank Dr M. Luff of the Department of Agricultural Biology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne for confirming the identification.—Martin Henderson, 13 Kimble Road, Collier’s Wood, London SW19 2AU.
REFERENCES Allen, A. A. 1991. Polistichus connexus Fourc. (Col.: Carabidae) at light in suburban West Kent. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 103: 6. Donisthorpe, H. St.J. K. 1939. A preliminary list of the Coleoptera of Windsor Forest, London, Lloyd, p. 20.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 9
MISIDENTIFICATION OF DIAPHANIA HYALINATA (L.) (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE: PYRAUSTINAE) IN THE BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA FAUNA
JOSE A. CLAVIJO A. AND EUGENE MUNROE*
Instituto de Zoologia Agricola, Facultad de Agronomia, Universidad Central de Venezuela,
Maracay, Apdo. 4579, Aragua 2101-A, Venezuela and *Lyman Entomological Museum,
Macdonald College of McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 1CO, Canada;
Biosystematics Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, KIA0C6, Canada, and Entomology Department, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
The melon-worm, Diaphania hyalinata (L., 1767), a neotropical pyralid moth which is a major pest on some plants of the Cucurbitaceae from south of the United States to north of Argentina, has been mentioned by Kloet & Hincks (1972) and recently in Goater (1986), as a species collected in England. Goater (1986) pointed out: ‘One
x0
Figs 1-2. 1 Diaphania hyalinata (L.) male. 2 Diaphania indica (Saunders) male.
10 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4; 1991
specimen of D. Ayalinata in British Museum (Natural History) ex Mason coll., labelled as purchased from Knight, a collector, as British. This could be the specimen from Haworth’s collection said by Stephens (1834), who also possessed ‘‘a pair captured in Devonshire, near Plymouth’’, to have been ‘‘taken near London by Mr. Knight’’. One of the Plymouth specimens is figured by Wood (1839). The species is a native of America’.
An examination of Mason’s specimen deposited in the BM (NH) collections, has shown that it does not belong to D. hyalinata, but to D. indica (Saunders, 1851). These two species are easy to differentiate by the wing maculation and the coloration of the abdominal apex (Figs 1 and 2), as well as by external features such as: frons smoothly brown scaled, with lateral white margins up to the base of the antenna in both sexes in D. hyalinata, and without lateral white margins in D. indica; and males in D. hyalinata with posterior inner preapical tibial spurs modified into leaf-like structures, but normal (straight) in D. indica.
The specimen illustrated in Goater (1986, plate 6, fig. 5) is correctly identified as D. hyalinata, but it is not the one from the Mason collection from England, but an American specimen selected for photographic purposes from the D. hyalinata series, all of which are of American origin, in the BM (NH), because of the bad condition of the Mason specimen. The locality of the specimen figured by Goater is unknown, but we think it should be from America, because all specimens of this species in the BM (NH) collection are from there. For the reasons mentioned before, we suggest that D. hyalinata should be removed from the British Lepidoptera list and be replaced by D. indica.
D. indica is the most widespread species of the genus, having a pantropical/ subtropical distribution. Its rare presence in England is most likely due to accidental introduction.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank the authorities of the British Museum (Natural History) and in particular Dr Gaden S. Robinson, Head of the Microlepidoptera Section, for permission to use collections and facilities. We are particularly indebted to Mr Michael Shaffer for locating the British Diaphania specimen from the Mason collection, and for other generous assistance and advice. This work was supported by the Consejo de Desarrollo Cientifico y Humanistico (CDCH) de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, and the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Technologicas (CONICIT) of the Venezuelan government.
REFERENCES
Goater, B. 1986. British pyralid moths. A guide to their identification. Harley Books, Colchester, Essex, England.
Kloets, G. S. & Hincks, W. D. 1972. A check list of British insects: Lepidoptera. 2nd edn. Handbk Ident. Br. Insects 11 (2).
Linnaeus, C. 1767 Systema naturae. 12th edn, vol. I, number 2, Holmiae: Laurentii Salvii.
Saunders, W. W. 1851. On insects injurious to the cotton plant. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. (s.2) 1: 163.
Stephens, J. F. 1834. I/lustrations of British entomology. (Haustellata) vol. 4. London.
Wood, W. 1839. Index entomologicus. London.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 11
SCUTTLE FLIES (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) AS PARASITES OF EARTHWORMS (OLIGOCHAETA: LUMBRICIDAE)
R. H. L. DISNEY
Field Studies Council Research Fellow, University Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, England.
Dr Lewis Davies reared Diplonevra pilosella Schmitz from a mutilated, but living (at the time of capture), earthworm (Colyer, 1950). He also reared Triphleba nudipalpis (Becker) from a dead earthworm (Disney, 1980).
The purpose of the present paper is to report a further case of parasitisation of an earthworm by a scuttle fly.
OBSERVATIONS
On 17 July 1990 a large specimen of Lumbricus terrestris L. was observed on a compacted-soil pathway in Horseshoe Wood, Malham Tarn, North Yorkshire (grid ref. 34/882669). Towards its rear end a number of small punctures were evident, due to the swellings around them. Furthermore this worm was being investigated by scuttle flies. Five of the latter were Diplonevra nitidula (Meig.), a pair in copula, two females and a male. Slide mounting of the females showed them to have the eggs still immature. The other phorid was a female Megaselia longicostalis (Wood), with four mature eggs inside.
The worm was placed in a container with heat-treated soil and thoroughly washed dead leaves. On 20 July four regions at the rear of the worm were demarcated in preparation for autotomy. Three of these regions were autotomized on 21 July. From one of these a phorid larva emerged later the same day. It pupariated, in some damp tissue, on 22 July. During the night of 9/10 August 1990 a male Diplonevra nitidula emerged. The worm died on 22 July, probably as a delayed result of getting too hot on a train journey to Cambridge. No further larvae emerged from it or its autotomized sections, or were found in a thorough examination of the remains of these.
DISCUSSION
Diplonevra pilosella and D. nitidula were among the most abundant species obtained in emergence traps set over pasture soils in England. Diplonevra nitidula represented 21.6% and D. pilosella 9.1% of the Phoridae obtained in these traps (Disney ef ai., 1981). Triphleba nudipalpis has been reared from three separate dead white mice, buried for 3 months about 30 cm deep in a heavy clay soil (Disney, unpublished data). The species represented 3.5% of the Phoridae obtained in the emergence traps over pasture soils (Disney et a/., 1981). In Germany studies of the soil fauna of reclaimed rubble tips, using emergence traps, yielded no D. nitudula or D. pilosella in 3-year-old plots. However, in 8-year-old plots D. nitidula represented 0.04% and D. pilosella represented 4.3% of the Phoridae (Weber & Prescher, 1990). These observations are consistent with the fact that earthworms are known to take several years to invade reclaimed sites (Dunger, 1989). Furthermore Dunger’s data show that Lumbricus terrestris tends to be one of the last species to become established. Thus the greater prevalence of D. pilosella in the trap returns obtained by Weber and Prescher suggests that this species parasitizes worm species other than L. ferrestris.
Thomson & Davies (1973) reported that with infestations of the earthworm Eisenia rosea (Sav.) by larvae of the calliphorid Pollenia rudis (F.) ‘autotomy of the infected
12 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
segments by the worm was observed in some cases where the larva penetrated near the posterior end of the host’. It seems that the same phenomenon occurs with Lumbricus terrestris parasitized by Diplonevra nitidula.
The fact that the D. nitidula adults caught investigating the worm were not gravid is noteworthy. Numerous females of this species have previously been observed swarming all over a dead earthworm (Disney, 1979). However, the literature has too frequently treated reports of Phoridae visiting carrion as evidence for carrion-breeding habits. It is now known that female Phoridae frequently visit carrion to obtain a protein-rich meal. For example Diplonevra florea (F.) has been reported feeding from a dead duck and Megaselia longicostalis has been reported feeding from dead rabbits (Disney, 1987). Furthermore species of Phalacrotophora Enderlein have been recorded feeding on haemolymph exuding from injured larvae and pupae of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae), their larval hosts (Martelli, 1914; Lichtenstein, 1920; Delucchi, 1953).
The puparium of Diplonevra nitidula closely resembles that of D. pilosella (see fig. 1 in Colyer, 1950), except that the median pair of processes on the last segment are not obviously shorter than the outer two pairs. Colyer (1950) suggested that Lundbeck’s (1922, fig. 57) illustration of a ‘D. concinna’ puparium, having subsequently been shown not to be this species, might be D. nitidula. This suggestion can now be rejected, as in D. nitidula the most dorsal pair of processes on each segment are subequal in length to those in the rows either side (as in D. pilosella—fig. 1, in Colyer, 1950). In Lundbeck’s figure the most dorsal pair of processes are clearly longer than those in the adjacent rows.
Megaselia longicostalis is frequently caught visiting small vertebrate carrion (Schmitz, 1938, 1943; Disney, 1987) and has been reared by enclosing gravid females with raw meat, on which the eggs were laid and in which the larvae developed (Schmitz, 1938). If it is strictly carrion-breeding in nature then perhaps the gravid female reported above was investigating the possibility of autotomized sections of the worm as an opportunity for oviposition.
It seems clear that Diplonevra pilosella and D. nitidula will both parasitize earthworms. Whether they exhibit different host preferences remains to be investigated. The fact that the larva of D. nitidula emerged from an autotomized section of the earthworm needs to be taken into account in any investigation of infestation rates in the field.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The experiment with buried white mice was done in collaboration with Dr Y. Z. Erzinclioglu.
REFERENCES
Colyer, C. N. 1950. Notes on the breeding of Diplonevra pilosella Schimitz and Megaselia rufipes Mg. (Dipt., Phoridae) and on the puparium of the former. Ent. Mon. Mag. 86: 320-322.
Delucchi, V. 1953 Aphidecta obliterata L. (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) als Rauber von Dreyfusia (Adelges) piceae Ratz. Pfanzenschutzberichte 11: 73-83.
Disney, R. H. L. 1979. Some scuttle flies (Diptera, Phoridae) from Tow Hill Nature Reserve, North Yorkshire. Naturalist (Hull) 104: 39-42.
Disney, R. H. L. 1980. Some soil-inhabiting scuttle flies (Dipt., Phoridae). Ent. Mon. Mag. 115: 231-232.
Disney, R. H. L. 1987. Observations on a peculiar mechanism in the crop of some Phoridae (Diptera) and its taxonomic value. J. Nat. Hist. 21: 275-280.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 13
Disney, R. H. L., Henderson, I. F., Perry, J. N. & Clements, R. O. 1981. Phoridae (Diptera) from English pasture soils. Pedobiologia 22: 366-378.
Dunger, W. 1989. The return of soil fauna to coal mined areas in the German Democratic Republic. In: Animals in Primary Succession, the role of fauna in reclaimed lands, ed. J.D. Majer. Cambridge University Press. Chapter 13, pp. 307-337.
Lichtenstein, J. L. 1920. Le parasitisme d’ Aphiochaeta (Phora) fasciata Fallen. Compt. Rend. Hebdom. Acad. Sci. Paris 170: 531-534.
Lundbeck, W. 1922. Hypocera Phoridae. In: Diptera Danica, Vol. 6, pp. 69-447.
Martelli, G. 1914. Notizie su due Coccinellidi micofagi. Boll. Labor. Zool. Gen. Ag. Portici 9: 151-160.
Schmitz, H. 1938. On the Irish species of the Dipterous family Phoridae. Proc. R. Irish Acad. 44(B9): 173-204.
Schmitz, H. 1943. Phoridae. In: Die Fliegen der palaearktischen Region, ed. E. Lindner. Vol. 4(33) (Lief. 149), pp. 161-192.
Thomson, A. J. & Davies, D. M. 1973. The biology of Pollenia rudis, the cluster fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) II. Larval feeding behaviour and host specificity. Can. Ent. 105: 985-990.
Weber, G. & Prescher, S. 1990. Studies on the ecology of Phoridae (Diptera). Pedobiologia 34: 183-189.
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Diptera in the Epping Forest area.—These are additional records to ‘‘A provisional list of the larger Brachycera, Syrphidae and Conopidae of the Epping Forest area’’ (Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. His. Soc. 1985; 18: 37-48).
Since publication of my paper in 1985 a number of new species have been added to the area list, one of which is also new to the county of Essex. The list below is a selection of records mainly from parts of the Epping Forest area where I had previously not undertaken any recording. One particularly productive site has been the Cornmill Stream at Waltham Abbey (TL 3801, not originally included in the 1985 paper), part of the Lea Valley Regional Park and a site of special scientific interest. This is an area of long established grazed meadows, still with cattle, adjacent to the Cornmill Stream which was cut to provide water to power a mill (now gone) at Waltham Abbey. The stream has a rich, marginal vegetation which cattle are able to graze; the cattle also ‘poach’ the banks of the stream in places which may make it attractive to some flies, particularly stratiomyids and tabanids. The Cornmill Stream is some 2 miles north-west of the main body of Epping Forest sensu stricto.
I have recorded three species new to the Epping Forest (sensu stricto) list: Epistrophe diaphana (also new to Essex), I found a male of this species apparently in its typical habitat—old meadow grassland near ancient woodland; Lejogaster splendida, an uncommon fly with mainly a coastal distribution in Britain, I found near Fairmead Pond
14 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
and after 12 years recording Pyrophaena granditarsa finally turned up, two females being swept from a small patch of grassland with buttercups bordering a ride by Hawkwood.
These recent records bring the Epping Forest area list of hoverflies to 129 species with 122 now being known from Epping Forest sensu stricto.
I would like to thank Mr S. J. Falk of the Nature Conservancy Council for confirming my determination of Epistrophe diaphana.
A number of records have been contributed by John Bratton formerly of Epping Forest Conservation Centre now at the Nature Conservancy Council Headquarters, Peterborough. R. G. Payne also helped with research for this paper. Some of the locations mentioned below are not located on the map in the 1985 paper and I have included a 4- or 6-figure Ordnance Survey grid reference to locate the records. The species listed below under the families Asilidae, Acroceridae, Syrphidae and Conopidae were all taken at locations within Epping Forest sensu stricto. The record of Sphegina clunipes Fall. (see 1985 paper) taken by A. A. Allen at The Wake Valley is an error. It has been found to be a specimen of S. kimakowiczi Strobl. (see Ent. Record J. Var. 99: 250 24.x.1987). The record of Asilus crabroniformis L. (see 1985 paper) refers to a specimen taken in the Forest near Baldwins Hill, Loughton on 8.x.1949 (R. M. Payne, card index).
Stratiomyidae. Chloromyia formosa (Scop.) Cornmill Stream, 25.vi.83 (R.G.P.). Chorisops nagatomii (Roz.) Roding Valley, Loughton, (TQ 4395) 17.viii.85 (M.H.). Odontompia tigrina (F.) Leyton Flats, Epping Forest, (TQ 393888) 17.vi.89 (M.H.). Oxycera pulchella Meig. Cornmill Stream, 20.vii.86 (M.H.). Oxycera trilineata (F.) Cornmill Stream, 20.vii.86 (M.H.). Stratiomys potamida (Meig.) Cornmill Stream, 20.vii.85 (J.B.) and seen here again on 20.vii.86 (M.H.)
Rhagionidae. Chrysopilus aureus (Meig.) Coopersale Common, Epping, (TL 4802) 31.vii.85 (M.H.).
Tabanidae. Chrysops relictus Meig. Cornmill Stream, 20.vii.86 (M.H.). Haematopota pluvialis (L.) Cornmill Stream, 26.vii.86 (M.H.). Hybomitra bimaculata (Macq.) Galleyhill Wood, Waltham Abbey, (TL 3903) 20.vii.86 (M.H.). Tabanus autumnalis L. Cornmill Stream, 26.vii.86 (M.H.).
Asilidae. Dioctria atricapilla (Meig.) Wanstead Flats, (TQ 405867) 17.vi.89 (M.H.). Neoitamus cyanurus (Loew) Thames Valley Bog, (TL 4300) 15.ix.85 (J.B.).
Acroceridae. Ogcodes pallipes Lat. Long Running, (TQ 4399) 21.vii.85 (J.B.).
Syrphidae. Cheilosia scutellata (Fall.) Thornwood, (TL 473043) 19.vii.89 (M.H..). Criorhina berberina (F.) Wanstead Park, (TQ 4287) 15.v.85 (J.B.). Epistrophe diaphana (Zett.) Yardley Hill, (TQ 382957) 18.vi.89 (M.H.). Epistrophe grossulariae (Meig.) Wanstead Park, (TQ 413873) 5.viii.89 (M.H.). Ferdinandea cuprea (Scop.) Wanstead Park, (TQ 413873) 5.viii.89 (M.H.). Lejogaster splendida (Meig.) Fairmead Bottom, (TQ 4096) 2.vii.85 (M.H.). Paragus sp. Wanstead Flats (TQ 405867) 17.vi.89 and Woodford Golf Course (TQ 3992) 24.vi.89. Both specimens are female. It is not possible to determine the species (M.H.). Pyrophaena granditarsa (Forst.) Hawkwood, (TQ 386957) 18.vi.89 (M.H.) Sericomyia silentis (Har.) Strawberry Hill, (TQ 4196) 18.vili.85 (M.H.). Sphegina kimakowiczi Strobl. Hawkwood, (TQ 386957) 18.vi.89 (M.H.). Volucella inanis (L.) Near Hatch Grove, (TQ 395933) 15.vii.89 (M.H.). Volucella zonaria (Poda) Honey Lane Plain, (TQ 4199) 5.viii.85 (J.B.), Near Hatch Grove, (TQ 395933) 15.vii.89 (M.H.).
Conopidae. Conops flavipes L. Near Hatch Grove, (TQ 395933) 15.vii.89 (M.H.). Sicus ferrugineus (L.) Hawkwood, (TQ 386957) 18.vi.89 (M.H.), Near Hatch Grove, (TQ 395933) 15.vii.89 (M.H.).
M. W. Hanson, 28 Sylvan Road, Forest Gate, London E7 8BN.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 15
THE EFFECT OF LEAF AGE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BIRCH APHID EUCERAPHIS BETULAE (KOCH)
GARETH EDWARDS-JONES Edinburgh School of Agriculture, 42 South Oswald Road, Edinburgh EH9 2HH.
INTRODUCTION
Seasonal changes in the abundance of tree feeding aphids are well known (Dixon, 1969; Wratten, 1974). Abundance typically peaks in spring, decreases in midsummer and often rises again in the autumn. These patterns are probably caused by an interaction of seasonal variation in the suitability of leaves as a food source and density- dependent population processes such as wing production and/or migration (Dixon, 1971). Although changes in leaf water content, leaf toughness and chemical defence concentration are well known (Feeny, 1970; Ayres & Maclean, 1987), it is the concentration of soluble nitrogen in the leaves which is believed to be the most important factor in determining patterns of abundance in aphids (Mittler, 1958; Dixon, 1963, 1966, 1969). The autumnal increase in aphid reproductives which accompanies the mobilization of nutrients in senescent leaves, supports this view.
Euceraphis is a large and active aphid, with all generations being alate (possessing wings). The first (fundatrix) generation hatches from eggs in early spring, and gives rise to a series of parthenogenetically reproducing generations during the summer. The sexual generation (oviparae) are produced in the autumn, these mate and lay their eggs, usually around the base of buds and along adjacent twigs (Edwards-Jones unpublished observation). There are two British species in this genus; Euceraphis betulae (Koch), which is primarily associated with Betula pendula Roth, and E. punctipennis (Zett.) which is associated with B. pubescens Ehrh (Blackman, 1977).
This paper examines the effect of leaf age on the development and fecundity of the birch aphid Euceraphis betulae.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Six saplings of Betula pendula Roth (approx. 1 m high) were planted into pots in early January. Three saplings were chosen at random at the beginning of February and were placed in a greenhouse at 20 °C with a 16-h day-length in order to induce early bud-burst, and three were left outside in order to allow bud-burst at the normal time. On 2.iv.87 when the treatment saplings in the greenhouse had fully expanded leaves and the buds of the control group were close to bursting, all six saplings were moved into a constant temperature room at 10 °C, 70% relative humidity and a 16-h day-length. The saplings were watered regularly and mist sprayed daily with distilled water for the duration of the experiment.
Leaves were removed from each tree every 14 days between 21.iv.87 and 18.vi.87. These were analysed for toughness and soluble nitrogen content. Toughness was measured using a push-pull fruit tester, which estimated the force needed to push a circular metal rod of 5 mm diameter through the leaf lamina. Soluble nitrogen was measured by standard Kjeldhar method (van Emden & Bashford, 1969).
Eggs of Euceraphis were collected in Silwood Park, Ascot during the last week of March 1987, and were kept in a refrigerator at 5 °C until the beginning of the experiment. On 13.iv.87, by which time most B. pendula in the field had infestations of Euceraphis, the eggs were removed from the refrigerator and left at room temperature for 24 h. During this time the majority of eggs hatched. The newly hatched nymphs were introduced on to the saplings on 14.iv.87. Ten nymphs were placed on
16 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
each sapling. Nymphs were placed individually onto terminal buds or leaves. Muslin bags large enough to cover a single leaf, and secured around the supporting twig were used to contain the aphids.
Aphids were observed every other day, and the number of offspring produced per time interval was recorded. All second-generation nymphs were removed from their parent, and 56 were randomly allotted to one of the treatments and placed onto the relevant saplings as part of the second-generation experiment. As no nymphs were produced by individuals feeding on the mature leaves, only nymphs produced on the young buds were utilized in the second-generation experiment. Second-generation aphids were monitored in a similar fashion to those of the first generation. All third- generation nymphs were removed from the saplings, but not utilized in any further experiments. The experiment terminated on 20.vi.87 with the death of the last second- generation aphid.
RESULTS
The level of soluble nitrogen was greater in young leaves than old on every sampling date (Fig. 1a). Leaf toughness increased throughout the experiment in both treatments (Fig. 1b), and was greater in old leaves than young on all dates prior to 18.vi.87, when the two measurements converged.
7
Soluble Nitrogen (mg/g)
0 7th May 21 May 4 June 18 June
Leaf Toughness 8
g
1 ae 4
° 7th May 21 May 4 June 18 June Young Birch Old Birch
Fig. 1. Changes in the attributes of young and mature leaves of Betula pendula, (a) mean soluble nitrogen content and (b) leaf toughness. Bars are standard errors.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 17
The differences in leaf quality between treatments were reflected in the aphid’s performance (Table 1). No first-generation nymphs survived to adulthood on the mature leaves, and only two second generation nymphs reached maturity. The survival of nymphs was significantly greater on young leaves where approximately 50% of individuals reached maturity (two by two contingency table; generation 1, Yates’ corrected x7= 10.5, P<0.01; generation 2, Yates’ corrected x7=6.48, P<0.05). The development time of individuals on old leaves was also longer than those on young foliage, and the average fecundity was lower.
Table 1. Survival, development and fecundity of first and second generation Euceraphis betulae on young and mature foliage of Betula pendula. Figures in parentheses are standard errors.
Young leaves Old leaves Generation: Ist 2nd Ist 2nd Initial population size 30 26 30 30 Proportion alive after 7 days 0.77 0.73 0.03 0.27 Proportion surviving to adulthood 0.50 0.38 0 0.07 Mean time to adulthood (days) 12.4 22.4 — 25 (0.98) (0.49) Mean duration as mature pre-reproductive (days) 1.82 3.167 — 2 (0.12) (1.45) Mean adult life time (days) 1523 10.4 — 12 (2.95) (2.125) Total number offspring 226 37 0 7 Mean number nymphs per adult 15.06 Be, — BES
(4.89) (2.09)
There were also substantial differences in performance between generations. Second- generation nymphs did slightly better on mature foliage than first generation ones, however, the opposite was true on young foliage. Two of the three measures of performance tested showed significant differences between generations on young foliage, these were fecundity (Kruskalls—Wallis statistic= 14.52, P<0.001) and development time (T = 8.26, DF = 23, P<0.001). However, there were no statistically significant differences in survival to maturity (two by two contingency table, Yates’ corrected x27=0.77, P>0.05).
DISCUSSION
The effect of food quality on the population dynamics of this aphid is dramatic. The increasing leaf toughness probably renders the leaf cuticle more difficult to penetrate, and the reduced levels of soluble nitrogen in the underlying tissues, which is important for protein production, slows aphid growth and reproduction. Individuals hatching later in the year, when most leaves are mature, are faced with an increasingly difficult task of accessing ever diminishing resources, and consequently have very little chance of attaining maturity. It is easy to see how selection acts to maintain hatching in the early spring.
Although adult Euceraphis are large and may be able to feed on mature leaves and twigs (Gange, 1989; Stroyan, 1977), the ability of first-generation nymphs to feed on mature leaves appears to be limited. However, nymphs of later generations must feed successfully on mature leaves in order to allow the species to survive until the autumn. It is not clear how these later hatching nymphs overcome the difficulties of feeding on nutritionally poor substrates. There may be some physiological or morphological variation between generations, for example, in stylet length. The aggregation of
18 BR. J. ENT, NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Euceraphis in midsummer onto leaves of better quality (Wratten, 1974), combined with the natural variation in leaf and tree quality will certainly serve to reduce some of the difficulties.
The slightly greater success of second-generation aphids in feeding on mature leaves, suggests that some adaptive mechanism may indeed be in place, hence allowing nymphs of later generations to feed successfully. If such an adaptation existed, it could well be traded off against increased fecundity in the first generation.
Ovariole number is known to vary between aphid generations. In Euceraphis the first generation possess ten ovarioles, and subsequent generations eight (Leather ef a/., 1988). This alone will lead to differences in fecundity between generations. However, the difference in fecundity between first- and second-generation nymphs on young leaves seems too great to be explained totally by differences in ovariole numbers. The observed differences are probably due to a combination of reduced ovariole number, and the fact that second-generation aphids fed on a poorer diet than those in the first generation. Dixon (1976) reports that nymphs of the sycamore aphid (Drepanosiphum platanoidis Schr.) feeding on newly burst buds were heavier and more fecund than those feeding on foliage which had burst their buds only 7 days earlier. This serves to demonstrate the importance of small changes in food quality to aphid populations.
REFERENCES
Ayres, M. P. & Maclean, S. F. 1987. Development of birch leaves and the growth energetics of Epirrita autumnata (Geometridae). Ecology 68: 558-568.
Blackman, R. L. 1977. The existence of two species of Euceraphis (Homoptera: Aphididae) on birch in Western Europe, and a key to European and North American species of the genus. Syst. Ent. 2: 1-8.
Dixon, A. F. G. 1963. Reproductive activity of the sycamore aphid, Drepanosiphum platanoidis (Schr.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). J. Animal Ecol. 32: 33-48.
Dixon, A. F. G. 1966. The effect of population density and nutritive status of the host on the summer reproductive activity of the sycamore aphid Drepanosiphum platanoidis (Schr.). J. Animal Ecol. 35: 105-112.
Dixon, A. F. G. 1969. Quality and availability of food for a sycamore aphid population. In: Animal populations in relation to their food resources. Ed. A. Watson, Symposium No. 10. British Ecological Society, pp. 271-287, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
Dixon, A. F. G. 1971. The role of intra-specific mechanisms and predation in regulating the numbers of the lime aphid, Eucallipterus tiliae (L.). Oecologia Berl 8: 179-193.
Dixon, A. F. G. 1976. Timing of egg hatch and viability of the sycamore aphid, Drepanosiphum plata- noidis (Schr.), at bud burst of sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus L. J. Animal Ecol. 45: 593-603.
van Emden, H. F. & Bashford, M. 1969. A comparison of the reproduction of Brevicoryne brassicae and Myzus persicae in relation to soluble nitrogen concentration and leaf age (leaf position) in the Brussels sprout plant. Entomologia, Experimentalis et Applicata 12: 351-364.
Feeny, P. 1970. Seasonal changes in oak leaf tannins and nutrients as a cause of spring feeding by winter moth caterpillars. Ecology 51: 565-581.
Gange, A. C. G. 1985 Overwintering in the birch aphid, Euceraphis punctipennis. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 2: 181-183.
Leather, S. R., ef a/. 1988. Variation in ovariole number within the Aphidoidea. J. Nat. Hist. 22: 381-393.
Mittler, T. 1958. Studies on the feeding and nutrition of Tuberolachnus salignus Gmelin (Homoptera: Aphididae). II. The nitrogen and sugar composition of ingested phloem sap and exuded honeydew. J. Exp. Biol. 35: 74-84.
Stroyan, H. L. G. 1977. Homoptera Aphidoidea Chaitophoridae and Callaphididae. Handbk Ident. Insects 2 (4a). London, Royal Entomological Society.
Wratten, S. D. 1974. Aggregation in the birch aphid Euceraphis punctipennis (Zett) in relation to food quality. J. Animal Ecol. 43: 191-198.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 19
1990 ANNUAL EXHIBITION Imperial College, London SW7—27 October 1990
The following account of exhibits has been compiled by R. D. G. Barrington (British butterflies), B. K. West (British Macrolepidoptera), J. M. Chalmers-Hunt (British Microlepidoptera), N. Hall (Foreign Lepidoptera), P. J. Chandler (Diptera), R. A. Jones (Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and other orders) and E. S. Bradford (illustrations).
BRITISH BUTTERFLIES
BARRINGTON, R. D. G.—Aberrations captured and bred in 1990, mostly from North Dorset.
(a) Two generations of Maniola jurtina L. bred from a captured female transitional to ab. postmultifidus Lipscomb on the underside and extreme ab. antiaurolancea Leeds on the upper. The F, (June 1989) contained 18 aberrations (variable postmultifidus and antiaurolancea) and 14 type. The F, was made up of 32 aberrations (including extreme postmultifidus with all hindwing veins dusted with dark scaling, some so thickly as to exclude the paler ground colour between some veins, and extreme female antiaurolancea with virtually no forewing upperside fulvous) and 18 type. Postmultifidus/antiaurolancea is a dominant, but weakening form.
(b) Two female Aphantopus hyperantus L. ab. cuneata Gillmer with most spots extended, bred in the F, from a transitional parent (the brood of 49 insects was a graded series from type to the exhibited specimens).
(c) Polyommatus icarus Rott., a female specimen of ab. discoelongata B.&L. + arcuata Courv. also showing a black streak at the anal angle of the hindwings, bred in an F, of 25 insects (graded from type to this specimen) from a similar parent.
(d) Captured aberrations of jurtina; mint male examples of abs subtus-albida Silb., atrescens Leeds and post-transformis Leeds and a strong female ab. addenda Leeds. A female aberration with no median band on the underside of the hindwing leaving them an almost uniform dark brown with some central dark smudging. Two examples of this unnamed form exist in the RCK collection, BM (NH).
A captured female Eurodryas aurinia Rott. ab. sebaldus Schulz with the forewing pale markings streaked, but reduced on the hindwings, and all fulvous darkened to deep red. The underside showed white suffusion over the outer half of the hindwings with the basal area obsolete. A bred female with enlarged pale areas.
Celastrina argiolus L., a female ab. /ilicana-lata Tutt with heavy black markings, a female with pale upperside hindwing lunules resembling Lysandra coridon Poda ab. postfowleri South and a female ab. paucipuncta Courv., all from wild larvae.
Cupido minimus Fuessly, a male with heavy upperside blue scaling and a female ab. obsoleta B. & L., Lysandra coridon Poda female ab. striata B. & L. and four aberrations of Lycaena phlaeas L.—female ab. magnipuncta Tutt, female ab. discojuncta Leeds, a male ab. obliterata Tutt and a male ab. antiradiata Derenne on the underside and ab. bipunctata Tutt on the upperside with the hindwing copper band broken up.
BUTTON, S.—A range of aberrations of Lysandra coridon Poda from Dorset and Wiltshire in recent years. Various ab. obsoleta B. & L., ab. i-nigrum B. & L. and ab. basijuncta B. & L. and two rarer forms: a female underside approaching ab. alba B. & L. and a male ab. striata B. & L. Polyommatus icarus Rott. abs arcuata Courv., obsoleta B. & L. and transiens B. & L. A striking Argynnis paphia L. ab. confluens
20 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Spuler, female from Wiltshire, 1977 and a perfect female example of the very rare ‘grey albino’ of Maniola jurtina L., ab. grisea-argentacea Ober (Plate I, Figure 1), one of three taken in the same locality in Wiltshire in 1990. It is of interest that the last time this aberration was captured in the same area, by H. G. Phelps in the mid-1970s, three examples again were taken in the same season. A good Eurodryas aurinia Rott. male with the forewings centrally blackened on the upperside, a female Boloria selene L. ab. pallida Spuler, Cumbria 1990 (almost, if not all, recorded specimens of this aberration have been taken in this area despite the species being well worked to the south), Coenonympha tullia L. ab. lanceolata Arkle, Lancashire 1990 and Aricia artaxerxes L. with orange flushes across the upperside of the forewings, Scotland 1990.
CALLOW, M.—A bred (F;) aberration of Melitaea cinxia L., similar to that exhibited by P. A. Standing but less extreme. Two aberrations of Hamearis lucina L. bred from wild ova in Sussex. One (12.v.88) had extended underside white markings at the base of the hindwing costa. The second (9.v.89) had a similar underside and considerably reduced dark markings in the centre of the forewings of the upperside with the hindwings pale rayed. See Plate I, Figure 6.
CHALMERS-HUNT, J. M.—A perfect female example of Maniola jurtina L. ab. postmultifidus Lipscomb from Cranwich, Norfolk, July 1990—a new county record for this attractive variety.
CLARKE, DR. J.—Two very fine underside aberrations of Thecla betulae L. bred from ova collected in Oxon, 1990. One resembled ab. a/bovirgata Tutt of Satyrium w-album Knoch having a white suffusion spreading distally from the median white band, itself very hazy. The other had very reduced white markings on the forewings and, like the first example, the remaining white bands were hazy. These two aberrations bore certain similarities and were likely to have originated from the same parent. See Plate I, Figure 9.
CRONIN, A. R.—A male Argynnis paphia L. ab. confluens Spuler.
DENNIS, R. C.—A most interesting selection of aberrations of Pyronia tithonus L. from three fields near Ringmer, Sussex in 1990 where the species was observed in large numbers on fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica (L.). Specimens included a good female ab. postobscura Leeds, a male ab. antiparvipuncta Leeds, a female ab. anticrassipuncta Leeds and three bleached ab. transformis Leeds. Two pale forms were shown, a male ab. subalbida Vty (yellowish) and a female ab. a/bidus Ckll. (with reference to the note under A. M. Jones’ exhibit, the two are probably under the same genetic control). Most noteworthy were three examples (of five taken) of a very rare form with the forewing apical spot reduced and lacking the white pupil, and with all spotting absent from both surfaces of the hindwings (Plate I, Figure 2).
ELSTON, MAJ. H. J.—Argynnis paphia L. f. valezina Esp., two specimens from a Hampshire wood. Six were seen in the space of 20 minutes around 17.00 hours on 14.vii.90, all in perfect condition, but no type females could be found. The males were abundant. This is a most unusual sighting as va/ezina usually occupies a low percentage of a population and is not recorded as tending to emerge before the type female.
A male Lysandra coridon Poda ab. obsoleta B. & L. and a good male ab. parallela B.& L., both from West Sussex, 22.vii.90.
GARDINER, B. O. C.—A striking display of aberrations of Pieris brassicae L. bred over a number of years from continuously brooded and inbred stock.
The variation included female specimens of ab. fasciata Tutt with heavier markings than the type form of the very strongly marked ssp. chieranthi, through normal specimens of fasciata with the forewing spots joined, to abs g/aseri Muller and reducta Fritsch with the forewing markings so reduced as to resemble the type male. A series
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 21
showing teratological abnormalities of wing shape, a halved gynandromorph, a mixed gynandromorph of ssp. chieranthi and a sexual mosaic, being a female with overall speckling of male colouration. A male underside showing homoeosis, with streaks of forewing colour in the centre of both hindwings.
HARMER, A. S.—(a) A pair of Argynnis aglaja L. ab. suffusa Tutt with a blackened central fascia on the forewings. The male was a good example of the form. An extreme Boloria selene L. ab. mediolugens Cab. with heavy central suffusion on the upperside of all wings and a female B. euphrosyne L. ab. albinea Lamb., an insect with white ground-colour. Lysandra coridon Poda a dark female ab. atrescens B. & L. +impar Cockayne and a female ab. ultraalbocrenata B.&L. An _ unusual Coenonympha pamphilus L. male underside tending towards ab. unico/or Tutt on the hindwings with the white area reduced, but also having a black line extending from the costal to the inner margin of the hindwings, and Pyrgus malvae L. ab. intermedia Schilde.
(b) Three good Lycaena phlaeas L. approaching ab. obsoleta Tutt bred in the F, and F, generations (a recessive form) from a parent ab. partimauroradiata Leeds, and a specimen of ab. subradiata Tutt + ab. cupreopuncta Tutt.
JONES, A. M.—(a) Three generations from a captured Lycaena phlaeas L. ab. schmidtii Gerhart. Nine F, ova gave a type F, of eight males and one female. An F, of 62 adults contained 48 type and 14 ab. cuprinus Peyer (22.5%) and pairings between cuprinus adults resulted in the expected F,; of 100% cuprinus. In no examples of the cuprinus bred, even when very worn, was there any gradation towards the white schmidtii (unlike the yellow recessive ab. subalbida Vty. of Pyronia tithonus L. bred and exhibited a few years ago by R. C. Revels and R. S. Tubbs, in which the freshly emerged yellow insect soon faded to white when the specimens were left to pair and lay). Cuprinus is clearly a recessive form and maybe schmidtii is one expression of it but further, large, broods would be required to determine this.
(b) Further results in the breeding of a new aberration of Parage aegeria L. with the pale markings between veins 2 & 3 and 3 & 4 of the forewings running together and streaking to the centre of the wings on both surfaces. This first appeared in a strain of ab. parviocellata Lempke in 1989. To determine its inheritance a female aberration was paired with a wild, typical male. The F, of 39 insects was 100% type. Of the 81 F, butterflies, 61 were type and 20 of the aberrant form (25%). An F,; from aberrant parents gave 100% aberrations. A very valuable experiment which shows the new form to be a simple recessive.
(c) A striking, captured Lycaena phlaeas L. ab. antico-radiata Derenne with the underside forewing spotting strongly streaked outwards (Plate I, Figure 5). Two Quercusia quercus L. bred from ova collected off fallen oak branches after the winter storms of 1989. A female ab. obsoleta Tutt was lacking the upperside purple, while the second specimen was possibly the most extreme gynandromorph recorded for this species with three wings affected. The left forewing was female with a few male streaks in the cell and at the apex, the left hindwing a mixture of male and female, the right forewing male with a female streak through the cell and the right hindwing type male. It was recognized in the breeding cage from the similarly mixed underside. A strong example of Polygonia c-album L. ab. obscura Closs with heavily blackened hindwings, captured from bramble.
KNILL-JONES, S. A.—Butterflies from the Isle of Wight showing the effects of the long summer of 1990. Two third brood examples of Polyommatus icarus Rott., Freshwater, 15.ix and 1.x. Two early specimens of Cupido minimus Fuessly, Compton Down, 29.iv. Early Hamearis lucina L., Tennyson Down, 28.iv., a small third brood
22 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
male of Pieris brassicae L. (wingspan 48 mm), Freshwater, 18.x and a third brood Lasiommata megera L., Middleton, 1.x.
LEES, E.—A selection of butterflies taken or bred in Dorset, Wilts., E. Sussex and Kent in 1989 and 1990. Jnachis io L. from a web of 250-350 larvae with a parasitic wasp that left the dying larva as a grub. A dwarf male Anthocharis cardamines L. (many cases of dwarfism are due to illness, incorrect or insufficient foodplant, but dwarfs of cardamines have been shown to have a genetic basis). A range of other species included Cel/astrina argiolus L. (showing a 3rd brood in both 1989 and 1990), Eumenis semele L., Gonepteryx rhamni L., Pieris rapae L., P. napi L., Polyommatus icarus Rott., Lysandra coridon Poda, Aphantopus hyperantus L. and Melanargia galathea L.
Moore, D. A.—A good example of Anthocharis cardamines L. ab. reducta, a male having white intervenational streaks through the apical orange, itself a little paler than type. Captured at Cholsey, Oxon, May 1990.
NASH, S.—A small example of Vanessa atalanta L. from Fernham, Berks, 20.x.90.
PATEMAN, J. E.—Hamearis lucina L., a pair with underside pale markings joined at the base of the hindwing costa. A perfect pair of Lysandra coridon Poda ab. cinnameus Tutt, (Plate I, Figure 7) Erebia aethiops Vty, a male with reduced spotting, Pyrgus malvae L. with a chocolate-black ground colour to the underside (bred), a male Maniola jurtina L. ab. postaurolancea Leeds captured in Scotland (this form was previously known only from one locality in Surrey and one in Wiltshire), a good example of Polygonia c-album L. ab. c-extinctum Gillmer, Aglais urticae L. ab. lutea Raynor and a bred pair of Parage aegeria L. ab. cockaynei Goodson, one upperside and one underside (Plate I, Figure 8). (Cockaynei has been shown to have an environmental rather than a genetic basis and may occur when winter larvae from late summer adults undergo rapid development to produce early adults. This was discovered by Dr E. A. Cockayne in the warmth of his London flat, and subsequently R. M. Craske and Maj.-Gen. C. G. Lipscomb were able to breed fine series (all in RCK collection, BM (NH)).
PAYNE, J. H.—A bred Aglais urticae L. with virtually no forewing scaling and a series of extreme aberrations of Jnachis io L. from temperature experiments including abs prochnovi Pronin and belisaria Ober.
STANDING, P. A.—Two aberrations of Melitaea cinxia L. bred in 1990 from inbred stock that has produced variation over a number of years (Plate I, Figure 4). One, a particularly good insect, was ab. corycinxia with reduced upperside forewing black markings except for a thick black central band, and hindwings were much darker than type. The underside showed strong black forewing streaks such as occur on Mellicta athalia Rott. ab. cymothoe Bertolini but which is very rare indeed in cinxia. The second example was strong ab. wifttei Geest. Two Eumenis semele L. ab. monocellata Lempke, Dorset, July 1990, one approaching ab. holonops Brouwer and a captured mixed gynandromorph of Anthocharis cardamines L., left side male, right side basically female with strong streaks of male ground colour and apical orange: Newbury, Bucks., May 1990.
STOKES, D.—A selection of hairstreak varieties. A female Thecla betulae L. with the pale dashes on the forewings reduced but extended on the hindwings. Female Quercusia quercus L. with the black anal spot absent and a female Satyrium w-album Knoch with the orange band of the underside reduced to a yellow tone, and the whole ground colour seemed to lack the red content.
TREBILCOCK, G. D.—A series of Coenonympha pamphilus L. illustrating a range of variation including abs crassipuncta Leeds, obliquajuncta Leeds and postobsoletissima Leeds.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 23
YOUNG, L. D.—Three gynandromorphs of Anthocharis cardamines L. bred, remarkably, from wild ova all collected in the same area near Fleet, Hants in 1989. Two were very good examples, almost mirror images, one side being female, the other a mixture of both sexes. The third example was primarily female with a dash of orange on the right forewing (Plate I, Figure 3). Such specimens occur due to faulty separation of the sex chromosomes during cellular division. The resulting cell (one dies) will have a different composition of sex-chromosomes from the parent cell and it, and all cells to which it subsequently gives rise, will be of the opposite sex, so producing a patch of one sex on an insect of the other. This inability of the chromosomes to divide correctly can be inherited as a tendency in a strain (rather than as a simple recessive or dominant trait) so that a variable proportion of offspring from a parent with this tendency may be gynandrous. (L. W. Newman maintained a strain of the hawkmoth Laéthoe populi L. (poplar hawkmoth) which gave rise to approximately 1% gynandromorphs in each brood).
YOUNG, L. D. AND POTTER, DR N. B.—Continued results from inbreeding of Polyommatus icarus Rott. ab. discoelongata B. & L. and ab. basielongata B. & L. As usual the strain has progressed since the last exhibition, some examples now being clearly ab. anti-radiata B. & L. (as opposed to strong discoelongata), of which some fine specimens were shown. A fair number of specimens were also ab. limbojuncta Courv. and some showed a black streak at the anal angle of the hindwings. Some difficulties have been encountered in the last year with inbreeding weakness, as illustrated by the specimens shown with reduced venation, ab. decrescens B. & L. (leading to spots and lunules joining vertically) or increased venation, ab. increscens B. & L. (causing the production of extra spots and lunules), forms associated with strain weakness. The stock is still being maintained and it is a tribute to the exhibitors’ skill that this is the case after so many generations.
BRITISH MACROLEPIDOPTERA
AGASSIZ, D.—A specimen of Polyphaenis sericata Esp. from Guernsey, where it is a scarce species.
BAKER, P. J.—Migrants taken at Branscombe, Devon, 29.ix. to 1.x.1990 including Rhodometra sacraria L., Utetheisa pulchella L., Agrius convolvuli L., Heliothis armigera D. &S. and Mythimna vitellina Hibn.
BLAND, K. P.—Epirrhoé galiata D. & S. from the Scorrie, Glen Clova, Angus 17/18.vii.1990, new to SE Scotland, and Acasis viretata Hiibn. from beside the R. Shin, Sutherland, a very northerly record.
CLANCY, S. P.—From Dungeness in 1990 Cryphia raptricula D. & S., Catocala fraxini L., Trichoplusia ni Hiibn., Idaea vulpinaria H.-S., Pelosia muscerda Hufn., Photedes fluxa Hiibn. and Agrius convolvuli L.; some bred Hyloicus pinastri L. from a female taken there in’ 1989, and also from Dungeness two Orthosia gothica ab. circumsignata Hasebroek.
CLARKE, DR J.—The exhibit included series of Bembecia scopigera Scop. and Polia bombycina Hufn. from Tilshead, Wilts., Scopula nigropunctata Hufn. from Folkestone, Thera cupressata Geyer from Swanage and Zygaena lonicerae ab. citrina Spey. From Coverack, Cornwall, Heliothis armigera Hiibn. and Utetheisa pulchella L., and finally a specimen of what has subsequently been determined as Spodoptera cilium Guen. a species new to the British Isles, taken at Coverack, 29/30.ix.1990.
CLASSEY, E. W.—An extraordinary aberration of Eilema lurideola Zinck., 18.vii.1990 (Plate II, Figure 6) and an extreme melanic specimen of Crocallis elinguaria L., 15.vii.1990, both from Uffington, Oxon.
24 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
COLLINS, G. A.—A melanistic Autographa gamma L. from Croydon, Surrey, 27.viii.1990 and an Ennomos alniaria L. lacking the normal transverse lines, from Banstead, Surrey, 31.vii.1990.
CORLEY, M. F.—Specimens shown included an aberration of Orthosia stabilis D. & S. and a dark form of Rusina ferruginea Esp. from W. Inverness. 9.vi.1990.
Cox, W. AND SUMMERS, J.—Included were Lithosia quadra L. from Clonbrock, Co. Galway, 14.vii.1983 where the sex ratio was five males to one female, also Afo/mis rubricollis L. and Alcis jubata Thunb. from near Fishguard.
DAVEY, P.—Hippotion celerio L. from Durston, 29.ix.1990.
DosBson, A.—From Winchester a female Hepialus humuli ab. dannenburgi Stephan (no markings), 12.vi.1989 and Heliothis viriplaca Hufn., 20.vii.1989. Bred specimens of H. maritima Gras. swept as larvae, Chobham, Surrey, 16.ix.1988; Agrius convolvuli L., taken 19.ix.1990 and Cucullia lychnitis Ramb., both from Winchester. A bred series of Heliothis armigera Hiibn. from larvae found on market chrysanthemums at Basingstoke in April 1990 and bred specimens of Hypena obsitalis Hiibn. from S. Devon.
GILL, N.—From the Orkney Islands a series of Diarsia mendica orkneyensis Bytinski-Salz and Chloroclysta citrata pythonissata Milliére.
GOobDEY, B.—Dwarf specimens of several species taken in Essex in 1989 and 1990 and Xanthorrhoé fluctuata L., an aberration with the dark band almost obsolete, from High Woods, Essex, 13.ix.1990; Philudoria potatoria L., a very pale male from Fingringhoe, Essex, 26.vi.1990, and from the same locality Mythimna favicolor Barr., 13.viii. 1990.
HARMER, A. S.—A crimson form of Rhodometra sacraria L. and Cosymbia punctaria L. with heavily marked borders.
HART, C.—From Falmouth, Cornwall: Rhodometra sacraria L., 29.ix., 30.ix.(2) and i.x.1990(2); Orthonama obstipata F., 29.ix.1990, Utetheisa pulchella L., i.x.1990(2); Mythimna vitellina Hiibn., 28.ix.(2) and i.x.1990(2); M. unipuncta Haw., 28.ix.(2), i.x.(2) and 4.x.1990; Spodoptera exigua Hiibn., 29.ix.1990; Heliothis armigera Hiibn., i.x.1990 and H. peltigera D. &S., 29.ix.1990. From Buckland, Surrey: U. pulchella L., 5.x.1990 and Mimas tiliae ab. brunnea Bartel.
HALL, N.—From Holt Forest, Dorset a bred series of Euphyia biangulata Haw. and a specimen of Cyclophora pendularia Clerck, 21/22.vii.1990; Orthosia opima Hubn. bred from a larva found on Genista tinctoria L., dyer’s greenweed, at Ashford Hill, Hants; Scotopteryx mucronata Scop. from Gidleigh, Devon, 27.v.1990 and S. luridata Hufn. from Holt Forest, 21-22.vii.1990. From Reading Lithophane leautieri Boisd. and L. ornitopus Hufn. which is a rare species in Berkshire.
HECKFORD, R. J.—Xanthorrhoé fluctuata L. from Plympton, Devon 24. viii. 1990 having a smoky ground colour and blurred markings.
HENWOOD, DR B.—Photographs of the early stages of Hypena obsitalis Hiibn. and a series of imagines bred from a female obtained in S. Devon, 8.viii. 1990. Also exhibited was a review article from Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (1983) by Henwood and MacDonald, illustrating caterpillar dermatitis.
HicGs, G.—lInsects taken in Guernsey 1.ix. to 15.ix.1990 which included: Jdaea straminata Borkh., I. degeneraria Hiibn., Scotopteryx peribolata Hiibn., Eupithecia phoeniceata Ramb., Hylaea fasciaria ab. grisearia Fuchs, Eilema caniola Hibn., Leuchochlaena oditis Hiibn. and a specimen determined at the exhibition as Crocallis dardoinaria perhaps new to the Channel Islands (Plate II, Figure 3).
KNILL-JONES, S. A.—Numerous species including from Freshwater, Isle of Wight Mythimna unipuncta Haw., 11, 12 and 15.x.1990; Heliothis armigera Hiibn., 18.x.1990; Trigonophora flammea Esp., 18.x.(2) and 20.x.1990; M. loreyi Dup.,
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 25
21.xi.1989 and 9.111.1990; M. albipuncta D. & S., ix.1990; M. vitellina Hiibn., 26.vi.(2) and 6.x.1990; Lithophane ornitopus Hufn., 18.x.1990; L. socia Hufn., 30.iii.1990; Pheosia gnoma F., 31.iii.1990; Abrostola trigemina Werneb.; Leucochlaena oditis Hiibn. and Spilosoma luteum Hufn.—a late date, 8.ix.1990. and Scopula marginepunctata Goeze, presumably a third brood specimen, 18.x.1990.
LANGMAID, DR J. R.—From Guernsey Thera cupressata Gey., 16.vi.1990; Polyphaenis sericata Esp., 16.vi.1990, and another 7. cupressata from Southsea, Hants, 13.x.1990.
McCormick, R. F. AND PENNEY, C. C.—An exhibit including Malacosoma neustria L., aberrations with dark and narrow banding North Cheam, Surrey; Tethea fluctuosa Hiibn. from Argyll and Kent; a grey form of Timandra griseata Peters from Horning, Norfolk; a dark grey Jdaea aversata L. from Ashstead, Surrey; Perizoma affinitatum Steph. illustrating variation in the white band from Hog Wood, Lincs. and a specimen from the Isle of Mull; P. albulata D. & S. from Banstead Downs, Surrey, with a dark, narrow band on forewing (Plate II, Figure 12); banded Pachycnema hippocastanaria Hibn. from Teignmouth; Opisthograptis luteolata L., a clouded form resembling ab. nebulosa West from North Cheam, Surrey; a heavily striated specimen of Spilosoma lubricipeda L. from Scotland (Plate II, Figure 7); Plusia putnami gracilis Lempke with confluent spotting from Horsey Dunes, Norfolk and Orthosia munda ab. immaculata Staud. from Friday Street, Surrey.
Moore, D. A.—Two specimens of Thalpophila matura Hufn. lacking hindwing border, Xanthorrhoé montanata D. & S. lacking dark band from St Albans, Herts., 6.vili.1987 and Chryodeixis acuta Walk. from Cholsey, Oxon.
NASH, S.—From Fernham, Berks. probable immigrants including Mythimna loreyi Dup. 20.x.1990 (thought to be a new record for VC22); two M. albipuncta D. &S., 17.x.1990; M. unipuncta Haw., 20.x.1990; Agrius convolvuli L., 28.ix.1990; Spodoptera exigua Hiibn., 14.viii.1990; Rhodometra sacraria L., 17.x. and 20.x.1990; also Anticollix sparsata Treits. from Siddlings Copse, Oxon. (new record for VC23); Adscita globulariae Hiibn. from S. Tidworth, Hants; A. statices L. from N. Tidworth, Wilts. 26/27.v.1990; A. geryon Hiibn. from Warleigh Woods, Wilts., 31.v.1990; Parasemia plantaginis L. from S. Tidworth, 25.v.1990, and Photedes fluxa Hiibn. from Cothill, Berks., 11.vii.1990.
PARSONS, M.—Immigrants from Eastbourne comprising Mythimna loreyi Dup., 30.x. and 31.x.1989; M. albipuncta D. & S., 26.ix.1989; from Ninfield, E. Sussex M. unipuncta Haw., 31.x.1989, and Heliothis armigera Hiibn., 23.ix.1989; and Schrankia taenialis Hiibn. from Worthing, W. Sussex, 13.vii.1990.
PEET, T. N.—Probable migrants to Guernsey included Cyclophora pupillaria Hiibn., Dendrolinus pini L., 11.vii.1989, Cryphia algae F., 24.viii.1990, Lymantria dispar L., and Trisateles emortualis D. &S.
PHILLIPS, J. W.—The exhibit included bred specimens of Sesia bembeciformis Hiibn. from Gosport, Hants; Synanthedon spheciformis D. & S. from Reading; S. anthraciniformis Esp. from Winchester and Cryphia muralis F. from Havant, Hants, all from 1989 to 1990.
PICKLES, A. J. AND C. T.—Among the species shown were bred specimens of Thalera fimbrialis Scop. from Dungeness, Scopula nigropunctata Hufn. netted at dusk at Folkestone, Jdaea dilutaria Hiibn. bred from eggs from the Great Orme, Caern., Gortyna borelii lunata Freyer also bred from eggs, from Essex, melanic Archanara dissoluta Treits. from Lymington, Hants and for comparison series of Acronycta euphorbiae myricae Guen. from Newtonmore, Inv. and Co. Clare.
PLANT, C.—A specimen of Epirrhoé alternata Mill. with forewing median band
26 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
obsolete and with a dark outer third of forewing, from Sawbridgeworth, Herts., 27.vii.1990.
SIMPSON, DR A. N.—Orthonama obstipata F. from Leigh, Worcs., 29.ix.1990.
SIMMONS, M. J.—The second Grammodes stolida F. to be taken in Britain, from Crowborough, E. Sussex, 30.ix.1990 (Plate II, Figure 1), and Agrius convolvuli L., 18.ix.1990 also from Crowborough.
SIMSON, BRIG. E. C.—Very closely related pairs of species or subspecies about which there has been, and in some cases there still is, controversy; Aporophyla lutulenta D. &S. and A. luneburgensis Freyer; Eilema complana L. and E. sericea Gregs.; Hadena lepida Esp. and H. capsophila Dup.; Leucania pallens L. and L. favicolor Barr.; Eupithecia denotata Hiibn. and E. jasionata Crewe; E. absinthiata Clerk and E. goossensiata Mab. Also Spodoptera littoralis Boisd. reared from a larva found on the leaves of Hypoestes in Oxfordshire, 9.vii.1990.
SKINNER, B.—The exhibit included Hadena caesia D. & S. from Counties Cork, Kerry and Wexford illustrating geographical variation; bred A thetis pallustris Hiibn. from Theddlethorpe, Lincs. from larvae obtained in September 1989; a bred series of Eupithecia intricata hibernica Mere from Co. Clare; bred Hadena perplexa D. &S. from Derbyshire, Hants and Yorks., bred Diaphora mendica Clerck from Co. Cork, varying from nearly white to greyish brown and Gnophos obfuscatus D. & S. from Co. Galway. Also shown were Horisma vitalbata D. & S., a specimen with a widened central band, Snodland, Kent, 21.vii.1990; a melanic /daea aversata L. from Ham Street, Kent, 21.vi.1990 (Plate II, Figure 5); a melanic Eupithecia nanata Hiibn. taken 24.vii.1990 at Blackheath, Surrey and two aberrations of Spargania luctuata D. &S. from Ham Street (Plate II, Figure 2).
SOKOLOFF, P.—Agrotis clavis ab. obsoleta Md.-Wald taken at Orpington, Kent, 25.vi.1990 (Plate II, Figure 4).
STATHAN, B. L.—A number of species including Apatele menyanthidis ab. suffusa Tutt, Beeley Moor, Derbyshire, 28.v.1990; Agrius convolvuli L., 1.x.1990 and Utetheisa pulchella L., 2.x.1990, both from Durlston, Dorset, and a series of Jdaea subsericeata Haw. from Coombs Dale, Derbyshire, 26.v.1990.
STERLING, COL. D. H.—A specimen of Papestra biren Goeze from East Stratton, Hants which is outside its known geographical range in Britain.
WARING, P.—Aydraecia petasitis Doubl. from Ebchester, Co. Durham, 29.viii.1990, caught flying over foodplant although actinic lights failed to attract them.
WEDD, D.—From Bude, Cornwall Mythimna litoralis Curt. obtained over a long period from early May until October; Eumichtis lichenea Hibn. approaching ssp. scillonea Richardson; Rhodometra sacraria L., a bred series from Bude, and from the same locality Utetheisa pulchella L. and Heliothis armigera Hibn. taken 29/30.ix.1990; a specimen of Luperina nickerlii Freyer from Bude caught 6. viii. 1990 together with specimens from Bradwell, Essex; Scopula nigropunctata Hufn., bred series from three generations in one year; from Folkestone: feral second brood specimens of Eupithecia intricata arceuthata Freyer from Marlow, Bucks.
WINTER, P. Q.—A number of species, the most noteworthy being Chilodes maritimus Tausch., Mythimna obsoleta Hiibn. and Triphosa dubitata L., all from SE Yorkshire.
WOOLDRIDGE, D. B.—A specimen of Thera cupressata Gey. from Niton, Isle of Wight, 12.x.1990.
YOUNG, D.—Hyles lineata livornica Esp. taken at Studland, Dorset, 1.ix.1990; several bred Thalera fimbrialis Scop. from Dungeness; Scopula nigropunctata Hufn. taken while dusking at Folkestone 17.vii.1990; Tyta /uctuosa D. & S. from Portland,
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 27
Dorset, 4.viii.1990 and a selection of moths typical of the Aviemore/Newtonmore district of Inverness-shire.
BRITISH MICROLEPIDOPTERA
AGASSIZ, REV. D.—(1) A series of Blastobasis phycidella (Zell.) from Guernsey in June 1990, where the species was found to be resident (Plate II, Figures 9 & 10). The only previous record from which this species stands on the British list is of six specimens found on a wall of a warehouse in Southampton docks by W. Fassnidge. (2) Specimens of Argolamprotes micella (D.&S.), Langford Heathfield, LNR, Somerset, 13.vii.90. (3) Mompha divisella (Dougl.), Guernsey, bred series (1990).
BAKER, P. J.—The following noted at Branscombe, South Devon, 29.ix. to 1.x.90. Nomophila noctuella (D. & S.), Palpita unionalis (Hiibn.), Udea ferrugalis (Hiibn.), Hellula undalis (F.).
BEAUMONT H. E.—(1) Microlepidoptera records for Yorkshire, 1990: Yponomeuta plumbella (D. & S.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii., three; Coleophora lutipennella (Zell.), Denaby Ings, 20.vii., one; C. caespititiella (Zell.), Hooton Roberts, 15.vi, three; Elachista bisulcella (Dup.), Old Spring Wood, Thorpe Salvin, 17.viii., one, Edlington Wood, 31.viii., three; Agonopterix liturosa (Haw.), Old Spring Wood, Thorpe Salvin, 17.vili., one; Hedya salicella (L.), Elsecar Reservoir, 13.vii., four; Endothenia quadrimaculana (Haw.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii., one, Sprotborough, 25.viii., Lobesia abscisana (Doubl.), Elsecar Reservoir, 13.vii., two, West Melton, 19.vii., two, Edlington Wood, 3.vii., one, Rawmarsh, 24.viii., one; Pammene fasciana (L.), Denaby Ings, 20.vii., one; Agriphila latistria (Haw.), West Melton, 14.viii., two, 23.viii., one; Sprotbrough, 25.viii., one; Udea ferrugalis (Hiibn.), Wath Wood, 20.x., one; Achroia grisella (F.), Edlington Wood, 31.viii., one. (2) Microlepidoptera exhibited: Incurvaria oehlmanniella (Hiibn.), Groby, Leics, late v and early vi.1989, first records for VC55; Coleophora salicorniae Wocke, Spurn, E. Yorks. (VC61), taken 27.vii.1989 by B. R. Spence, first Yorkshire record; Batia lunaris (Haw.), Edlington Wood, S. Yorks (VC63), 3.viii.1990, three; B. unitella (Hiibn.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii.1990, over 30 at light; Teleiodes alburnella (Zell.), Edlington Wood, 3.viii.1990, one; Acrobasis repandana (F.), Canklow Wood, S. Yorks, vii.1990; Scoparia ancipitella (La Harpe), Edlington Wood, 29.vi.1990; Margaritia sticticalis (L.), Spurn, E. Yorks, 9.vii.1989, taken by B. R. Spence.
BLAND, DR K. P.—Micropterix mansuetella Zell. (O.S. Grid Ref. NT1820), Craigdilly, Peebleshire, 27.v.1990; Leucoptera malifoliella (Costa) (O.S. Grid Ref. NS4191), Conic Hill, Balmaha, Stirlingshire, reared from mines in a solitary crab apple tree, Malus sylvestris (L.), collected 2.ix.1989, emerged 6.vi.1990; Coleophora trochilella (Dup.) (O.S. Grid Ref. NT9660), Burnmouth, Berwickshire larvae on yarrow, Achillea millefolium L. 13.x.1990; Reuttia subocellea (Steph.), (O.S. Grid Ref. NO1322), Kinnoul Hill, Perthshire, 9.vi.1990, taken about marjoram, Origanum vulgare L.; Cydia tenebrosana (Dup.), Kilmoray Fank (O.S. Grid Ref. NG3600), Isle of Rhum, 26.vi.1990, two; Pammene populana (F.), Caolos an Eilean, Isle of Coll (O.S. Grid Ref. NM2253), 22.viii.1990, several imagines seen about Salix aurita; Ancylis tineana (Hiibn.), Schiehallion (O.S. Grid Ref. NN7157), Perthshire, reared from larva in spun leaves of 6 inches high Betula pubescens Ehrh. collected 10.ix.1989, emerged 4.vi.1990, first time reared in Britain.
CHALMERS-HUNT, J. M.—Dichomeris ustalella F., Worcester district, bred from larva found on Tilia cordata Mill. on 5.ix.1989; also, a hymenopterous parasite, awaiting determination. Agrotera nemoralis Scop., Blean Woods, Kent, v.1990.
28 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Platyptilia isodactylus Zell., Redbridge, Hants, bred from larva found on 14.v.90 on Senecio aquatica Hill.
CLANCY, S. P.—The few moths included in this exhibit comprised five notable pyralids taken at Dungeness in 1990. Psammotis pulveralis Hiibn., 3.viii.90, and Hymenia recurvalis F., 17.x.90, a probable migrant specimen of Pediasia fascelinella Hiibn., 3.viii.90; and specimens of Ancylosis oblitella Zell. and Calamotropha paludella Hiibn., both of which species were also noted from nearby Greatstone during 1990.
COLENUTT, S.—Uresiphita polygonalis D. & S., Chale Green, Isle of Wight, on 2.x.90.
CORLEY, M. F. V.—Specimens taken or bred in 1990: Crocidosema plebejana Zell., Savernake Forest, Wilts., 3.viii.90; Alabonia geoffrella L., Goring, Oxon., 13.v.90, new to VC23; Cnephasia genitalana P. & M., Faringdon, Oxon., 9.viii.90; Eudonia pallida Curt., Waterperry Wood, Oxon., 17.vii.90; an aberration of Clepsis spectrana Treits., Faringdon, Oxon., 15.vi.90; Cochylis hybridella Hiibn., Knap Hill, Vale of Pewsey, Wilts., 20.vii.90; Eriopsela quadrana Hiibn., Barrisdale, Knoydart, W. Inverness, 9.vi.90; Aethes piercei Obraztsov, Barrisdale, Knoydart, W. Inverness, 9.vi.90; Nemophora metallica Poda, Chilton, near Didcot, Oxon., 8.vii.90; Diplodoma herminata Geof., Faringdon, Oxon., 12.vi.90, from cases on posts in garden; Scythris crassiuscula H.-S., Goring, Oxon., bred from Helianthemum, 13.v.90; S. picaepennis Haw., Goring, Oxon., 8.vii.90.
CRAMP, P. J.—Sitochroa palealis D.&S., Godshill, I. of Wight, at m.v., 29.vii.90.
DAVEY, P. A.—Hellula undalis F., Studland, Dorset, 1.x.90.
EMMET, A. M.—Mines of an apparently undescribed species of Nepticulidae feeding in fallen leaves of apple (Malus) from North Essex. Three adults of supposed Stigmella mespilicola (Frey) reared 2-20.iv.90 from larvae collected on 9.ix.89 on Sorbus torminalis (L.) at The Doward, Herefordshire. Phyllonorycter ulicicolella (Staint.), adult reared 28.v.80 and its mine on Ulex from Orsett Heath, South Essex. Bryotropha basaltinella (Zell.), adults taken at m.v. light on 22 & 31.vii.90 at Saffron Walden. Dichomeris ustalella (F.), two adults reared 29.iv.90 from larvae found on Tilia cordata Mill. on 10.ix.89 in a wood in Worcestershire. Glyphipterix linneella (Clerck), one of two adults taken at m.v. light at Saffron Walden on 2 & 9.viii.90, new to VC19. Trachysmia sodaliana (Haw.), adult taken at m.v. light on 30.v.90 at Saffron Walden. The only previous record for North Essex (VC19) is from a locality now transferred to Cambridgeshire. Cryptophlebia leucotreta (Mey.), adult taken at m.v. light on 31.vii.90 at Saffron Walden. An adventive species reaching Britain in its early stages in imported foodstuff. New to VC19. Pammene germmana (Hiibn.), adults taken at Danbury, south Essex, 27 & 28. v.90. Rare in Essex. Palpita unionalis (Hiibn.), adult taken at m.v. light on 15.vii.90 at Lewes, Sussex—a migrant species. Ancylosis oblitella (Zell.), adult taken at m.v. light on 22.viii.90 at Saffron Walden. The most north-westernly record from the county. Capperia britanniodactyla (Gregson), four adults reared 7-16.vi.90 from larvae collected on 17.v.90 at Orsett Heath, South Essex. Seldom recorded from Essex.
GooDEY, B.—Taken in the Colchester area. Yponomeuta sedella Treits. High Woods, 7.viii.89, fourth Essex record. Coleophora saturatella Staint. Donyland Woods, 12.vii.88. Ethmia terminella Fletch., Fingringhoe, 7.vii.90; new to Essex. Brachmia inornatella Doug]. Alresford Pits, 31.vii.88; new to VC19. Spatalistis bifasciana Hibn., Friday Wood, 27.vi.90, new to VC19. Eucosma pupillana Clerck, High Woods, 28.vii.90; new to VC19. Platytes alpinella Hiibn., fairly common resident
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 29
in the area now, especially on sand and gravel soils; up to 10 specimens per night is not unusual in August; just 10 years ago this species was considered extremely rare in Essex. Nascia cilialis Hiibn., Donyland Woods, 6.v.90, fourth county record; early date suggests possibly a migrant.
HALL, N.—Psychiodes filicivora Mey., new to VC22. Attempts to find Psychiodes verhuella Bruand in Berkshire VC22, where it is unrecorded, have been unsuccessful. Only small quantities of the main foodplant—Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.), hart’s- tongue fern—have been found. However, there are a few of these ferns, planted about 20 years ago in a friend’s garden in Reading and one or two unidentified larvae were found on these in 1989 mining/spinning the sporangia. No moths emerged from the material collected. A few more affected fronds were collected in 1990 and this time moths did emerge—Psychiodes filicivora Mey. Subsequently it was found that the male fern, Dryopteris filix-mas F. & S., in the same garden was a far more productive source, and other male fern was found nearer Reading town centre with similarly ‘messed up’ sporangia. The statement in The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 2 (1985) that ‘as the distribution [of filicivora] is confined to maritime counties, it seems that inland it can only maintain a population indoors or under glass’ would appear to be incorrect. Calamotropha paludella Hubn., Dinton Pastures Country Park, Berkshire, 13-14.vii.1990. Extreme colour forms. A dark form with barely visible markings is fairly typical for this locality, but a pale specimen was much paler than any other seen. Commophila aeneana Hiibn. Knowle Hill, Berks., 2.v.90. Second record for VC22.
HARPER, DR M. V. Four species of moth found in one day in May 1990 in a locality close to Grannish Moor, Inverness-shire. This unusual dry grassland heath is rich in leguminous plants, including Genista anglica L., the foodplant of Lita solutella (Zell.), as well as other vetches such as Lotus corniculatus L., Lathyrus species, the foodplants of Athrips tetrapunctella (Thunb.) and a possible specimen of Xystophora pulveratella (H.-S.). Also shown is the local Pancalia latreillella Curt. From North Devon was exhibited Elachista trapeziella (Staint.) bred from Luzula sylvatica (Huds.), including a mined leaf. Singletons of both races of Depressaria olerella (Zell.), bred from yarrow, Achillea millefolium L., in Hampshire and Inverness-shire, show small but definite morphological differences.
HECKFORD, R. J.—Jnfurcitinea albicomella (H.-S.), Torquay, Devon, 21.vii.90; first British record since 1924. Tinagma balteolella F.v.R., Dungeness, Kent, 26.v.90 (specimen courtesy of J. R. Langmaid). Zelleria hepariella Staint., Botley Wood, Hants, from larva 22.vi.90, forewings mainly ochreous with typical specimens for comparison. Elachista gleichenella (F.), Torquay, Devon, from larva 9-13.v.90, Carex flacca Schreb.; second Devon record. Cosmiotes consortella (Staint.), Torquay, Devon, from larva, 12 & 14.v.90, unidentified grass, possibly Poa sp. Parocystola acroxantha (Mey.), Plympton, Devon, 2.viii.90, at light; East Budleigh, Devon, 26.viii.90, at light. Eulamprotes phaeella Heckford & Langmaid, Kennack Sands, Cornwall, 21.viii.90, at actinic light; third Cornish locality. Blastesthia posticana (Zett.), Hawkerland, Devon, ex 1., 24.iv.90, Pinus sylvestris L.; Woodbury Common, Devon, from larva 25.iv.90, P. sylvestris L.; new to Devon. Pammene germmana (Hiibn.), Stover Park, Devon, 18.v.90, at light; new to Devon. Cydia amplana (Hubn.), Plympton, Devon. 2.viii.90 at light in the exhibitor’s garden; first confirmed British specimen, (Plate II, Figure 8); Calamotropha paludella (Hiibn.), Stover Park, Devon, 30.vil & 3.viii.90; new to Devon. Catoptria falsella (D. &S.), Kennack Sands, Cornwall, 12.viii.90; first Cornish record since the Victoria ‘county history’. Pediasia aridella (Thunb.), West Porlock, Somerset, 11.vii.90. Sitochroa palealis (D. &S.), St. Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, from larva 6.vii.90, Daucus carota L.; new to Isles of Scilly.
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Numonia suavella (Zinck.), Torquay, Devon, ex |., 21.v.-17.vi.90, Cotoneaster microphylla Lindl.; reddish markings on forewings replaced by ochreous in some specimens; new to Devon, and foodplant new in British Isles. Pferophorus fuscolimbatus phillipsi Hugguns, Mullion Cove, Cornwall, from larva, 6-10.vii.90, Thymus praecox; fourth Cornish locality.
Hoare, R. J. B.—Nemapogon wolffiella K. & N., Ashley, Tiverton, Devon, one found indoors, 19.vii.90. Ochsenheimeria vacculella F.v.R., near Teg Down, Winchester, Hants, VC11, three in company with several others under the bark of a dead larch tree beside an arable field, 17.viii.90. Parornix fagivora (Frey), West Wood, Winchester, VC11, two bred from cocoons in upturned edges of beech leaves collected ix.89; these were over-wintered outside in a flowerpot with some moss, brought indoors in April and sprayed from time to time, both moths emerged on 27.iv.90. Phyllonorycter staintoniella (Nic.) Perranporth, Cornwall, VC1, three advanced mines collected from Genista pilosa L. on the cliffs about 13.vii.89, produced two adults 20 & 29.vii.89. Bryotropha basaltinella (Zell.), Merton College, Oxford, one at lighted window, 11.vi.89. Acleris rufana (D. & S.), Matley, New Forest, Hants., a pupa on Myrica gale L. found ix.89., adult emerged 14.x.89, of the form with ‘forewings uniformly purplish grey’. Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Mill.), larvae on imported pomegranates bought at Sainsbury’s, Badger’s Farm, Winchester VC11, two adults emerged 2 & 10.11.90. Unidentified tortricid bred from a larva found crawling on the outside of a bag of South African apples, bought at Badger’s Farm, Winchester VC11 (Sainsbury’s) in iv.90; female adult emerged 5.v.90; (larva yellow, with green lines).
KNILL-JONES, S. A.—AII the following taken at m.v. light at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, unless stated otherwise. Mecyna flavalis D. & S., series from Compton Down, I.o.W., 19 & 21.vii.90. Scoparia pyralella D. & S., Tennyson Cliffs, I.o.W., 12.vi.90. Aethes williana Brahm, Tennyson Cliffs, I.o.W., 12.vi.90. Pyrausta ostrinalis Hubn., 12.ix.90, suspected third brood specimen. Hypsopygia costalis F., 3.x.90. Pyrausta cingulata L., 2.vili.90. Pempelia genistella Dup., Totland Bay, l.o.W., 15.vii.90. Ostrinia nubilalis Hiibn., 2 & 3.viii.90. Evergestis extimalis Scop., 18.vii.90. Aphomia sociella L., pale form, 1.viii.90. Mecyna asinalis Hiibn., 3.x.90. Palpita unionalis Hibn., 13 & 18.x.90 (four). Udea ferrugalis Hiibn., ab. with reduced markings, 3.vili.90. Pleuroptya ruralis Scop., 18.x.90, second generation specimen? Hellula undalis Fabr., 26.x.89, fifth British specimen.
LANGMAID, DR J. R.—Stigmella betulicola nanivora Pet., Inverness-shire, four bred from Betula nana, ix.89. Luffia lapidella Goeze, Guernsey, one male and eight of 31 females bred from 32 cases found vi.90. Nemapogon picarella Cl., Killiecrankie, Perthshire, four bred from Trametes sp. ix.89. Oinophila v-flava Haw., Guernsey, two 14.vi.90. Caloptilia rufipennella Hiibn., Southsea, Hants, 16.iv.90; second Hampshire record. Swammerdamia passerella Zett., Inverness-shire, four bred from Betula nana L., ix.89. Yponomeuta rorrella Hiibn., Southsea, Hants, vii.90., two. Epermenia insecurella Staint., Tilshead, Wilts., 3.vi.90. Coleophora alnifoliae Bar., Linton, Herefordshire, one bred from A/nus glutinosa (L.), 29.viii.89 and its case. C. saturatella Staint., Beaulieu, Hants, four bred from Genista tinctoria L., 23.vi.90 plus cases. Schiffermuelleria grandis Desv., Porlock, Somerset, one bred from dead oak twigs collected in viii.89. Nothris congressariella Bru., Herm, Channel Islands, two bred from Scrophularia scorodonia vi.90. Blastobasis phycidella Zell., Guernsey, four taken vi.90. Mompha divisella H.-S., Guernsey, four bred from Epilobium montanum L., vi.90. Glyphipteryx linneella Cl., Southsea, Hants, 11.viii.90. Clavigesta sylvestrana Curt., Southsea, Hants, 11.viii.90. Cydia saltitans Westw. (the Mexican jumping bean moth), Southsea, Hants, 8.ix.90, at m.v.; believed to be the first time
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 31
this species has been taken in the wild in Britain. Pediasia aridella Thunb., Southsea, Hants., 19.vii.90. Sitochroa palealis D. & S., Southsea, Hants., 26.vii.90. Ancylis oblitella Zell., Southsea, Hants., 14.viii.90. Plodia interpunctella Hiibn., Southsea, Hants, 3.v.90. He also showed, on behalf of Mr P. M. Potts, a specimen of Etiella zinckenella Tr. taken at m.v. light at Warsash, Hants, i.x.90; second British record.
MACNULTY, DR B. J.—Pyralidae of the Gower Peninsula, taken in 1990. Chrysoteuchia culmella L., Crambus pascuella L., C. pratella L., C. lathoniellus Zinck., C. perlella Scop., Agriphila straminella D. &S., A. tristella D. &S., A. inquinatella D. &S., A. latistria Haw., A. geniculea Haw., Catoptria pinella L., Elophila nymphaeata L., Cataclysta lemnata L., Evergestis forficalis L., Pyrausta ostrinalis Hibn., P. cespitalis D. & S., P. cingulata L., Udea prunalis D. &S., U. olivalis D. &S., U. ferrugalis Hiibn., Hypsopygia costalis F., Pyralis farinalis L., Pyla fusca Haw., Euzophera pinguis Haw.
NASH, S.—Palpita unionalis Hiibn., Fernham, Berks, 17.x.90 & 18.x.90; Pyrausta cespitalis D. &S, melanic aberration, Portland, Dorset, l.iv.90; P.purpuralis L., strikingly marked aberration, Fernham, Berks, 27.vii.90; Epischnia bankesiella Rich., Portland, Dorset, 26.viii.90; Microthrix similella Zinck., Fernham, Berks., 16.vi.90; Nephopterix angustella Hiibn., Fernham, Berks., 20.vili.90. Phyllonorycter quinnata Geoffr., Tubney, Berks., bred from Carpinus, 12.vii.90; P. lantanella Schrank, Chilton, Berks., bred from Viburnam, 8.vii.90; P. tristrigella Haw., Fernham, Berks., bred from Ulmus, 8.vii.90; P. platanoidella Joannis, bred from Acer platanoides L., Oxford, 1.vii.90; Nemophora metallica Poda, Chilton, Berks., 8.vii.90; Psychoides verhuella Bruand, Portland, Dorset, bred from the harts-tongue fern, Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.), 1.iv.90; Nemaxera betulinella F., Fernham, Berks., 11.vi.90, several specimens collected from a horse-chestnut stump, Aesculus hippocastanum L.; Yponomeuta rorrella Hiibn., Fernham, Berks., several at m.v., 26—29.vii.90; Ypsolopha horridella Treits. Martin Down, Hants, at m.v. light 24.vii.90; Coleophora frischella L., Fernham, Berks., 13.v.90; C. albicosta Haw., Lyme Regis, Dorset, 5.vili.90, one, probably second generation specimen; Depressaria daucella D. &S., Braunton Burrows, Devon bred from Carum sp. 10.vi.90; D. badiella Hiibn., D. pulcherrimella Staint., Martin Down, Hants, at m.v. light 24.viii.90; A gonopterix purpurea Haw., Martin Down, Hants 24.vili.90; Bryotropha umbrosella Zell. B. desertella Dougl., Braunton Burrows, Devon, 14.vi.90; Scrobipalpa instabilella Dougl., Arne, Dorset, bred from Halimione, 7.1ii.90; S. ocellatella Boyd, Portland, Dorset, bred from Beta maritima (L.), 1.1v.90; Eucosma aspidiscana Hubn., Fernham, Berks., 8.vii.89; thought to be breeding in nearby gardens (second record VC22); E. conterminana H.-S., Didcot, Berks., several amongst Lactuca virosa, 5.viii.90; Pammene fasciana L., Fernham, Berks., four at m.v. 12.vii.90.
NASH, D. AND AGASSIZ, D.—Imperial College at Silwood Park. A display featuring the firethorn leafminer project— research on Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zell.) which feeds on Pyracantha. Maps showed the known distribution at October 1990 which covers south Essex, east London, north Kent with pockets in north London and south Hertfordshire. The project will monitor the spread of the species in Britain. Members are asked to send reports of presence or absence of mines to Dr David Nash, Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks. SL5 7PY or to David Agassiz at The Glebe House, Brewers End, Takeley, Bishops Stortford CM22 6QH.
PALMER, S. M.—A selection of Microlepidoptera recorded in south Wiltshire (VC8) in 1989/90. The display contained material collected from: my home area of Dinton; a Rothamstead trap (Bentley Wood); and an ongoing survey of Wiltshire Trust for Nature Conservation (WTNC) reserves, from the Salisbury Plain Army
32 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Training Area (SPTA) and RAF Chilmark. My thanks are extended to the various people and authorities who have kindly given their permission to record on their sites. Monopis obviella D. & S. (ferruginella Hiibn.), Bentley Wood, 2.viii.90. Plutella porrectella L., Greenlands Camp, SPTA, bred from Hesperis, emerged 2.viii.90. Orthotelia sparganella Thunb., Dinton, at m.v., 20.vii.90. Epermenia insecurella Staint., near Greenlands Camp, SPTA, smoked from Thesium by J. R. Langmaid; new to VC8 and first in county since one at Granham Hill, Marlborough, 14.viii.1889. Batia lambdella Don., Landford Bog (WTNC), 15.vi.90; new to Wiltshire. Agonopterix ciliella Staint., Broadchalke (WTNC), bred from Angelica sylvestris L., adult emerged 22.vii.90; new to VC8. A. kaekeritziana L. (liturella D. & S.), Chickengrove Bottom (WTNC), bred from Centaurea scabiosa L., adult emerged 24.vii.90. Apoda bifractella Dup., Dinton, 5.viii.90; new to VC8. Teleiopsis diffinis Haw., Dinton (RAF Chilmark), at m.v., 12.ix.90. Mompha propinquella Staint., Dinton, at m.v. 22.vii.90. M. nodicolella Fuchs (det. J. R. Langmaid), Dinton, 18.ix.87, 23.xi.89; new to Wiltshire. Piercea luridana Gregs., Middleton Down (WTNC), 30.vii.89. Aethes piercei Obraztsov, Bentley Wood (Rothamstead Trap), v.90; new to VC8. Cochylidia rupicola Curt., Blackmore Copse (WTNC), 25.vi.90. Endothenia quadrimaculana Haw., Dinton, to m.v. 1, 20.vii.90. Dichrorampha alpinana Treits., RAF Chilmark, 25.vi.90. Ancylosis oblitella Zell., Dinton (RAF Chilmark), to m.v., 15.iv.90; new to VC8.
PARSONS, M.—Palpita unionalis Hiibn., Hollywell Cliffs, Eastbourne, E. Sussex, 30.x.89.
PEET T. N. D.—Guernsey Microlepidoptera. Evergestis limbata L., (Plate II, Figure 11), at m.v., 18.vii.90, the first British record. Sitochroa palealis D. & S., taken on Sark (1990), so far the only example from the Bailiwick. Uresiphita polygonalis D.&S., one in 1983, the only Guernsey record. Palpita unionalis Hiibn., occurs annually. Ancylosis oblitella Zell., one in 1990, new to Guernsey. Agrotera nemoralis Scop., one in 1982, the sole Guernsey record.
SIMPSON, DR A. N. B.—Lita solutella (Zell.), Tulloch Moor, Inverness, v.90. Athrips tetrapunctella (Thunb.), Glen Brerachan, Perthshire, v.90. Syncopacma sangiella (Staint.), Blackhall Rocks, Co., Durham, v.90. Yponomeuta rorrella (Hiibn.), Leigh, Worcestershire, 26.vii.90. Mompha subdivisella Bradley, Powick, Worcestershire, bred Epilobium hirsutum L. Oecophora bractella (L.), Wyre Forest, Worcestershire, bred from larvae in dead wood, iv.90.
SKINNER, B.—Agriphila tristella D. & S., a totally melanic aberration Addington, Surrey, 2.viii.90. Elophila nymphaeata L., an ab. having most of the normal wing coloration obscured by orange-brown or dark brown patches, Dungeness, 4.viii.90 (Plate II, Figure 13).
STERLING, D. H., M. J. & P. H.—Nemaxera betulinella F., bred from dead wood/fungus collected at Fernham, Oxon. VC22. Atemelia torquatella Zell., taken by day at Granish Moor, Inverness, VC95. Nemophora fasciella F., taken by day at Ramney Marsh, Enfield. Coleophora saturatella Staint. and case, larval cases, (highly parasitized) found on Genista tinctoria L. on North Solent NNR VC11. This is the first Hampshire record of larvae, the species being previously only known in the County from a caught specimen. Coleophora therinella Tengst., feeding marks of larva on a seed of Bilderdykia convolvulus. The larva (now hibernating) from Winchester VC11 is the first larval record from Britain. Ethmia bipunctella F., from Hampshire, VC11, taken at m.v. in Winchester. There are no known breeding localities nearer than Kent. Acleris shepherdana Steph., from larval spinnings in the heads of Filipendula ulmaria (L.) growing in the Hants & I.o.W. Nat. Trust. NR at Winnall Moors, VC12, near the centre of Winchester. Eucosma conterminana Herr.-Schaff., a specimen bred from larvae in Lactuca heads in Herts VC20 and another caught
Plate |. ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1990
Plate Il. ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1990
1: Grammodes stolida, Crowborough, Sussex, 30.ix.90,M.Simmons. 2: Sparga- nia luctuata, Hamstreet, Kent, 1.viii.90, B. Skinner. 3: Crocal/lis dardoinaria, \cart, Guernsey, 4.ix.90, G. Higgs. 4: Agrotis clavis ab. obsoleta, Orpington, Kent, 25.vi.90, P. Sokoloff. 5: /daea aversata, Hamstreet, Kent, 21.vi.90, B. Skinner. 6: Eilema lurideola, Uffington, Oxon, 18.vii.90, E. Classey. 7: Spilosoma /ubrici- peda, Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire, R. McCormick. 8: Cydia amplana, Plympton, Devon, 2.viii.90. R. J. Heckford. 9 & 10: Blastobasis phycidella, Moulin Hust, Guernsey, vii.90, D. Agassiz. 11: Evergestis limbata, Le Chene, Forest, Guernsey, 18.vi.90. T. N. D. Peet. 12: Perizoma albulata, Banstead Downs, Surrey, R. McCormick. 13: E/ophila nymphaeata, Dungeness, Kent, 4.viii.90, B. Skinner.
Plate 1. ANNUAL EXHIBITION 1990
1: Maniolajurtina ab. grisea-argentacea, Wilts.,1990,S.Button.2: Pyronia titho- nus ab. caeca, Sussex, 1990, R. C. Dennis. 3: Anthocharis cardamines mixed gynandromorph, bred, 1990, L. D. Young. 4: Melitaea cinxia, bred 22.v.90, P. A. Standing. 5: Lycaena phlaeas ab. antico-radiata, 15.ix.90, A. M. Jones. 6: Hamearis lucina, bred, 1989, M. Callow. 7: Lysandra coridon ab. cinnameus, 1990. J. E. Pateman. 8: Parage aegeria ab. cockaynei, bred, 1990, J. E. Pateman. 9: Thecla betulae, bred, 1990, J. Clarke, 10-13: /ssoria cytheris, Falkland |slands, D.A. Oram. 14: Euriphene sp., Cameroon, 19.ii.90, D. C. Lees.
Photo: D. E. Wilson.
The cost of reproducing colour plates | and || has been met by a grant from the Hammond and Crow Memorial Fund.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 33
at Didcot, Oxon VC22, a new county record. Pammene agnotana Reb., beaten from an old hawthorn at Fleam Dyke, Cambs. on 28.iv.90. BENHS Field Guide quotes only two other British records. Dichrorampha senectana Guen., bred from Leucanthemum roots collected at Tregantle, Cornwall in October 1989, which produced 11 specimens. This appears to be the first time that this species has been bred in captivity as literature shows Leucanthemum as the ‘presumed’ food-plant. Dichrorampha acuminatana L. & Z., bred from Leucanthemum roots collected at Tregantle and Predannock, Cornwall in October 1989. These produced a number of moths. Sitochroa verticalis L., taken by day at Ramney Marsh, Enfield. WARREN, R. G.—Microlepidoptera from the Churnet Valley, Staffordshire. Lampronia luzella Hiibn., Coombes Valley, 13.vi.80. Nemophora minimella D. & S., Oakamoor, 17.vii.74. Leucoptera wailesella Staint., Wall Grange, 5.viii.81, among Genista tinctoria L., Phyllonorycter roboris Zell., Coombes Valley, 20.v.70. P. jJunoniella Zell. Oakamoor, bred from mines on Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., P. anderidae Fletch., Wall Grange, bred from mines on seedling Betula pubescens Ehrh. on a peat bog, 11.v.70. Argyresthia sorbiella Treits., Coombes Valley, 18.vi.50. Ypsolopha sequella Cl., Oakamoor, 1.viii.65, on a sycamore trunk Acer pseudoplatanus L.; no field maple in the area. Ethmia funerella F., Hazles Wood, 31.v.73. This species occurs in a number of sites in the valley from Consall down to Oakamoor. Symphytum does not grow in any of these sites, but in Hazles Wood I have found the larvae on Myosotis sylvatica Ehrh. and no doubt this is the food plant elsewhere. Exapate congelatella Cl., Oakamoor, 3.xi.76. Olethreutes mygindana D. & S. Oakamoor, bred on Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., 17.v.52. Hedya salicella L., Harston Wood, 27.vii.85. Epinotia maculana F., Coombes Valley, 18.vii.74. Pammene splendidulana Guen., Hazles Wood, 26.v.77. Catoptria margaritella D. & S., Wall Grange, 22.viii.70, on a peat bog.
FOREIGN LEPIDOPTERA
EDWARDS, P. J.—Moths from Spain, June and early July 1990, from two areas: (1) Teruel Province, (2) Gerona Province. Burnets from both areas. A series of Brithys pancratii Cyrillo, with pupa and a photograph of a larva. Moths from m.v. light in L’Escala, Gerona, including Protoschinia scutosa D. & S. and Parahypopta caestrum Hiibn.
HALL, N. M.—(i) Moths from South East France 1990: seven widely differing forms of Agrotis trux Hiibn., Sanilhac, Gard; Xestia ashworthii subsp. candelarum Staud., Esteng, Alpes-Maritimes, wild-caught specimens and a further generation bred from a gravid female; five species of Rhyacia Hiibn.: R. simulans Hufn., Esteng; R. grisescens F., Col du Galibier, Savoie; R. /atens Hiibn., Esteng; R. helvetina Boisd., Esteng & Galibier; R. /ucipeta D. & S., Esteng; six species of Apamea Ochs.: A. furva D. &S., Esteng; A. maillardi Geyer, Esteng & Galibier; A. zeta Treits., Esteng; A. platinea Treits., Esteng; A. illyria Freyer, Esteng; A. alpigena Boisd., St Barnabé, Alpes-Maritimes; Mythimna andereggi Boisd., Galibier; Hadena caesia D. & S., Esteng; Papestra biren Goeze, Esteng; Eurois occulta L., Esteng; Autographa aemula D. & S., Esteng; Lamprosticta culta D. & S., Aucelon, Drome; Aedia funesta Esp., Marais de Chautagne, Savoie; Axia margarita Hiibn., St Barnabé; Dryobotodes monochroma Esp., Sanilhac, Copiphana olivina H.-S., St. Barnabé.
(ii) Moths on the British list collected abroad: 17 species treated in the text of Skinner’s Moths of the British Isles but not illustrated: Stegania trimaculata Vill., Harpyia milhauseri F., Gluphisia crenata Esp., Thaumetopoea processionaea L., Laelia coenosa Hibn., Ochropleura flammatra D. & S., Athetis hospes Freyer, Rhyacia lucipeta D. & §S., Laconobia blenna Hiibn., Calophasia platyptera
34 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Esp., Blepharita solieri Boisd., Ochropleura leucogaster Freyer, Synthymia fixa F., Periphanes delphinii L., Acontia lucida Hufn., Clytie illunaris Hibn. Grammodes stolida F. Others included: Minucia lunaris D. & S. bred from larvae on oak, Cournonterral, Hérault, France; Cyclophora puppillaria Hibn. bred from a gravid female, St Augustin, Charente-Maritime, France; Malacasoma castrensis L. bred from a larva found on low plants, Aucelon; Egira conspicillaris bred from a larva on Paliurus spina-christi, St Martin de Londres, Hérault, France; a form of Agrotis puta Hiibn. with unusually red distal forewings, Sanilhac; a form of Lymantria monacha L. with markings on only the forewing costa and fringes, Bazarnes, Yonne, France; a high alpine form of Pheosia tremula Cl. with dark hindwings, Galibier.
HARMAN, T. W.—Two drawers of Lepidoptera, the majority Sphingidae, taken during an entomological survey in Nepal, July/August 1990, together with photographs of localities and a map of the Katmandu Valley to show the survey areas.
LeES, D. C.—A specimen of a Euriphene sp. collected on the Operation Raleigh expedition to Cameroon in the Korup National Park (Plate I, Figure 14). The female, and probably the species, is unrepresented in the Natural History Museum collection and is potentially new to science. Its nearest relative would be E. duseni Auriv. Also, out of three Euptera specimens collected on the expedition, one has been confirmed as new to science and one is known by only one other specimen. Some 250 species of butterflies were collected on the expedition, a selection of which were exhibited. Cameroon is perhaps the centre of diversity for the Afrotropics: some 1200 species including skippers have recently been collected from a small area south of Yaoundé, an indication that butterfly diversity in West Africa rivals the very richest areas of the Neotropics.
MIDDLETON, A. P.—Butterflies of North America. They were captured within 20 miles of each other in an area 20-30 miles north west of New York City around the New Jersey/New York State boundary. Many were from scrub and light woodland at Harriman, New York State on the fringe of the Appalachian Mountains. Identified specimens were: Danaus plexippus, Pterourus troilus, Pterourus glaucus, Speyeria cybele, Vanessa virginiensis, Basilarchia astyanax, Basilarchia archippus, Colias eurythema and Colias philodice.
ORAM, D. A.—Insects from the Falkland Islands. (i) Agrius cingulata F., Stanley, East Falkland, second record for the islands; similar to our own Agrius convolvuli L. A photograph of Hyles lineata F., Carcass Island, 1984, identified by I. Kitching of the BM(NH): first record for the islands and the only other type of hawk-moth recorded.
(ii) Zssoria cytheris cytheris Drury, Carcass Island, 26-28.i.90. This is known as the queen of the Falklands fritillary and is the only known resident butterfly. It is not common and is mainly found in the West Falklands. It is sexually dimorphic and male and female upper and undersides were shown (Plate I, Figures 10-13).
PEET, N. B. & PEET, T. N. D.—Endemic Charaxes species from the islands of Sao Tomé, 100 miles off the coast of West Africa, collected on a University of East Anglia expedition in July and August 1990: C. candiope from Sao Tomé, an island race with the outer margins of the wings a deep black brown, compared with typical candiope from Uganda; C. /emosi from Principé compared with typical C. /ucretius from Uganda—apart from size, the two species appeared identical; C. odysseus from Sao Tomé; C. montieri from SAo Tomé—close to C. smaragdalis from the African mainland.
TREMEWAN, W. G.—Species of Zygaena F. from Turkey: Z. olivieri Boisd., Z. sedi (F.), Z. carniolica (Scop.), Z. loti(D. & S.), Z. viciae (D. & S.), Z. filipendulae L., Z. cuvieri Boisd., Z. punctum Ochs., Z. minos (D. & S.).
Tuck, K. R.—Clepsis peritana Clemens (Tortricidae), a North American species
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 35
found in Denmark. Last year specimens of Clepsis peritana were found in Copenhagen in commercial greenhouses and flying wild in private gardens. The species is a native of North America, where it is widespread and common. Of particular interest is the fact that the larva will feed not only on a wide variety of living plants but also on nonliving or decaying plant material. As the UK lies at a similar latitude to Denmark, it is conceivable that the species could spread here too, though the exhibitor was not aware of any records. Clepsis peritana could be confused with some colour forms of the British species C. consimilana Hiibn. and Epagoge grotiana F. It may be distinguished from consimilana by its comparatively large, more rounded and well defined pre-apical blotch on the forewing costa; from grotiana by its narrower and more clearly defined transverse medial fascia on the forewing.
WAITE, P.—Thysania agrippina Dalman (Noctuidae), taken at light in bright moonlight at 2.30 a.m. at Tuis (pre-montane rainforest 4000 feet), Cartago Province, Costa Rica, 7.iv.1990. It has a wingspan of 252 mm, and together with Attacus atlas, this is the largest moth in the world.
WARING, P.—A collection of 153 specimens of blue butterflies, Lycaenidae, taken in southern Sudan between 1981 and 1983. Determinations were checked by the late G. E. Tite of the BM(NH). Most of the specimens were recorded during standard weekly butterfly transect walks through an area of open grassland adjacent to swamps at Maar, 80 km north of Bor, Janglei Province. Species that were common included Hypolycaena philippus F., Lampides boeticus L., Euchrysops osiris Hopff., Anthene amarah Guerin, Zizeeria knysna Trimen, Leptotes (Syntarucus) pirithous L. and an indeterminate Lepidochrysops sp.
Species were also recorded in the Imatong mountains on the borders of Sudan and Uganda, and in the woodland at Bangangai, Western Equatoria, on the borders of Sudan and Zaire. Species from the former included Costalius margaritaceus Sharpe, Spalgis lemolea Druce, Cacyreus lingeus Cramer, Cacyreus palemon Stoll., Cacyreus virilis Auriv., Anthene liodes Hewitson, Anthene larydas Cramer, Uranothauma delatorum Heron and Uranothauma nubifer Trimen. Those from Bangangai included Axiocerces harpax F., Oxylides faunus albata Auriv., Anthene lunulata Trimen and Megalopalpus simplex Rober.
DIPTERA
Eight exhibitors contributed to the display of a total of about 120 species of flies from a wide range of families. The lower total and diversity of exhibits than last year was attributed to various factors, including the unavoidable absence of some regular exhibitors. The periods of drought when fly numbers declined this year may have affected the content of exhibits, but at least in the recorder’s case the prolonged collecting season had the reverse effect, leading to an embarrassment of material to deal with. However, even though the quantity of species new to Britain exhibited last year was not repeated, many interesting species, particularly among the smaller Diptera exhibited, were included. Details are provided of most flies shown.
ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—A selection of flies found during National Trust biological survey fieldwork during 1990, mostly in the south west. Cornwall: Limonia goritiensis (Mik), in sea cave, Lansallos, 14.v; L. unicolor (Hal.) (Tipulidae) also in sea cave, Pentire Head, 21.v.; Dolichopus andalusiacus Strobl (Dolichopodidae), coastal stream. Chapel Porth, 23.v.; Tropidia scita (Harris), coastal flush and Xanthogramma citrofasciatum (Deg.) (Syrphidae), coastal grassland, both Pentire Head, 21.v.; Zodion cinereum (F.) (Conopidae), coastal heathland, Chapel Porth, 23.v. Devon: Limonia lucida (de Meijere), coastal flush, Bolt Tail, 27.vi.;
36 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Oxycera pardalina Meig. (Stratiomyidae), sallow over horsetail swamp on chalk cliff, Lincombe, 18.vii.; Vanoyia tenuicornis (Macq.) (Stratiomyidae), cliff seepage, Weston and springline marsh in pasture, Branscombe, vii.; Atherix marginata (F.) (Rhagionidae), riverside trees, Teign Valley, Holne & Hembury Woods, vi., vii.; Neoitamus cyanurus (Loew) (Asilidae), ancient rough parkland, Whiddon Park, 2.vii.; Phthiria pulicaria (Mikan) (Bombyliidae), sand dunes, Woolacombe Warren, 7.vi.; Dolichopus signifer Hal. (Dolichopodidae), cliff seepage, Baggy Point, 4.vi.; Xanthandrus comtus (Harris) (Syrphidae), sheltered meadow, Heddon Valley, 25.vii.; Chrysotoxum elegans Loew (Syrphidae), sandy sea cliff, Moor Sands, Salcombe, 26.vi.; Thecophora fulvipes R.-D. (Conopidae), riverside meadow, Arlington Court Estate, 2.viii.; Vidalia cornuta (Scop.) (Tephritidae), coastal scrub woodland, Rickham Common, Salcombe, 26.vi.; Achanthiophilus helianthi (Rossi) (Tephritidae), cliff edge grassland, Orcombe Pont, 1.viii.; Pelidnoptera fuscipennis (Meig.) (Sciomyzidae), oak woodland, Woody Bay, 19.vii.; P. nigripennis (F.), oak woodland, Holne Woods, 11l.vii.; Tetanocera phyllophora Melander (Sciomyzidae), oak woodland, Hembury Woods, 14.vi. Wiltshire: Euthycera fumigata (Scop.) (Sciomyzidae), chalk grassland, Cherhill Down, 4.ix. Gloucs: Ctenophora flaveolata (F.) (Tipulidae), mature beech belt in old parkland, Cirencester Park, 6.v.; Stratiomys singularior (Harris) (Stratiomyidae), inland marsh, Badgeworth Nature Reserve, vii., collected by S. Holland, Norfolk: Paroxyna absinthii (F.) (Tephritidae), saltmarsh, Blakeney Freshes, 16.viii.
GODFREY, A.—Thirty three species of notable or uncommon Diptera, collected in 1990, except where stated: Geranomyia unicolor (Hal.) (Tipulidae), recess in seawall at Runswick Bay, N. Yorks, 9.vi.; Orimarga virgo (Zett.) (Tipulidae), limestone seepage in disused Niblum Quarry, S. Yorks., 19.vi.; Oxycera pardalina Meig. (Stratiomyidae), Blaiskey Bank Springs, near Helmsley, N. Yorks., 27.vi. (found at several sites in N. Yorks. in 1990); Chersodromia incana Hal. (Hybotidae), on dry sand of foredunes, Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.; C. cursitans (Zett.), frequent on sand and washed up decaying aquatic weed, Loch Leven, 3.viii. (very few British records); C. speculifera Hal., under dry seaweed at Runswick Bay, 9.vi., taken with C. hirta (Walker); Crossopalpus humilis (Frey) (Hybotidae), from Dactylis tussock in field at Hellaby Hall, Maltby, S. Yorks., 4.i.; Platypalpus kirtlingensis Grootaert (Hybotidae), common amongst Phragmites at Patrington, Holderness, 24.vi.; Micromorphus albipes (Zett.) (Dolichopodidae), sand and gravel workings at Patrington, Holderness, 24.vi.; Achalcus flavicollis (Meig.) (Dolichopodidae), Sleightholmdale, N. Yorks., 27.vi. (from several sites in 1990, can be frequent in Carex paniculata L. tussocks along with A. cinereus (Hal.); Thrypticus laetus Verrall (Dolichopodidae), Juncus marsh at Warren Vale, Rotherham, S. Yorks., 5.v.; Dorylomorpha hungarica (Aczél) (Pipunculidae), female from Castle Hills, Doncaster, S. Yorks., 6.v. (easily recognized by the wide ovipositor); Dichetophora obliterata (F.) (Sciomyzidae), quarry floor at Morkery Wood, Lincs., 1.ix.; Psacadina verbekei Rozkosny (Sciomyzidae), damp grassland, Brookhouse Dyke, Thurcroft, S. Yorks., 12.xi.89; Dictya umbrarum (L.) (Sciomyzidae), seepage on exposed peat near Errochty Dam, Perths., 2.viii.90; Colobaea bifasciella (Fall.) (Sciomyzidae), on Phragmites in slack at Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.; Coremacera marginata (F.) (Sciomyzidae), Patrington, Holderness, 24.vi.; Phyllomyza securicornis Fall. (Milichiidae), grassland south of calcareous seepage at Niblum Quarry, S. Yorks., 16.vi.; Acartophthalmus nigrinus (Zett.) (Acartophthalmidae), on Boletus edulis at Danby Park, Castleton, N. Yorks., 12.x.; Tethina illota Hal. (Tethinidae), foredunes at Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.; Axysta cesta (Hal.) (Ephydridae), Juncus in acid bog, Agden Bog, Sheffield, S. Yorks., 31.iii., taken with the more frequent Trimerina madizans (Fall.); Canace
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 37
nasica Hal. (Canacidae), base of seawall/shale cliffs, Runswick Bay, N. Yorks., 9.vi.; Eccoptomera pallescens (Meig.) (Heleomyzidae), both sexes swept from deliquescent fungi, Roche Abbey, S. Yorks., 21.x.89 (although fly normally associated with nests of small mammals); E. ornata Loew, male from Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) tussock in ungrazed marsh in process of drying out, King’s Pond, Rotherham, S. Yorks., 14.x. (a rarely recorded species, also found in pit-fall traps in rodent runs on the site); Anagnota bicolor (Meig.) (Anthomyzidae), Breary Marsh, Leeds, W. Yorks., 15.x. (several sites in 1990, can be frequent in Carex paniculata L. tussocks); Anthomyza sabulosa (Hal.) (Anthomyzidae), several from Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) tussocks, King’s Pond, Rotherham, S. Yorks. 13.vii., etc. (has been reared from Deschampsia; it was associated with several other Anthomyzidae at this site); A. cingulata (Hal.), male from Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) tussock at Ballinluig, Shingle Island, Perthshire, 29.vii. (also Deschampsia at several other sites in 1990, including King’s Pond cited above); Rhopalopterum anthracinum (Meig.) (Chloropidae), on Carex and Eriophorum at Lake Gormire, N. Yorks., 13.x.; Eutropha fulvifrons (Hal.) (Chloropidae), amongst Agropyron and Ammophila on foredunes at Spurn Point, Holderness, 26.xi.89 (common at this site and at Ainsdale NNR, Lancs., 21.vii.90); Oscinisoma gilvipes (Loew) (Chloropidae), on Glyceria beside Chesterfield Canal, Low Spring Wood, Thorpe Salvin, S. Yorks., 13.ii. (few records since described as new in 1976, but abundant in Glyceria marsh at Denaby Ings, Doncaster, S. Yorks., 20.iii. and found at another nearby locality); Elachiptera uniseta Collin (Chloropidae), Collier Brook Marsh, Rotherham, S. Yorks., 19.xi.89 (may be frequent in litter, occasional in tussocks; numerous low down in Glyceria marsh, Denaby Ings, S. Yorks., 20.iii.90); Phasia obesa (F.) (Tachinidae), limestone grassland in Niblum Quarry, S. Yorks., 16.vi.
HALSTEAD, A. J.—(1) the results of 12 months collecting of Tephritidae, starting in mid August 1989; 34 species were exhibited, totalling 46 per cent of the British species, the most local being: Urophora cuspidata (Meig.), Therfield Heath, Herts, 30.vi.90 and Icterica westermanni (Meig.), Albury Down, near Guildford, Surrey, 9.vili.90; (2) twelve species of local Diptera including all three British Acroceridae, collected in 1990: Rhamphomyia barbata (Macq.) (Empididae), Hoe Stream, Mayford, Surrey, 20.v.; Atylotus fulvus (Meig.) (Tabanidae), Puttles Bridge, New Forest, Hants, attracted to hot car, 8.vii.; Machimus rusticus (Meig.) (Asilidae). The Sheep Leas, West Horsley, Surrey, 23.vi.; Dioctria cothurnata Meig. (Asilidae), Wood Crates, New Forest, Hants, 8.vii; Acrocera orbicula F. (Acroceridae), Shortheath Common, near Bordon Camp, Hants, 24.vi.; Ogcodes pallipes Lat. and O. gibbosus (L.) (Acroceridae), St. Catherine’s Hill, Winchester, Hants, 12.vii.; Nephrocerus flavicornis Zett. (Pipunculidae), Hoe Stream, Mayford, Surrey, 2.vi.; Neocnemodon vitripennis (Meig.) (Syrphidae), RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey, 1.v.; Microdon mutabilis (L.) (Syrphidae), Horsell Common, Surrey, 9.vi.; Leopoldius signatus (Wiedemann) (Conopidae), Hoe Stream, Mayford, Surrey, 15.ix.; Phasia obesa (F.) (Tachinidae), Bookham Common, Surrey, 22.ix.
LEES, C. D.—(1) A puparium of Didea fasciata Macq. (Syrphidae), with an adult voucher specimen and a larva thought to belong to the same species but later determined by Dr G. E. Rotheray as belonging to Dasysyrphus albostriatus (Fall.). The Didea larva was found fully grown (17 mm) on 3.vi.90 on Salix x smithiana at Kew Gardens lake. The Dasysyrphus larva was found on Salix caprea L. at Mitcham Common, Surrey, 16.x.90; both Salix bushes were isolated and the association of Didea fasciata with ancient woodland was questioned. Comments were made on the remarkable appearance of these larvae with lateral protuberances assisting in crypsis, probably while they rest during the day closely appressed to Salix stems like the probable host aphid Tuberolachnus salignus (Gmel.). It was also commented that
38 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
after the larva voided its gut contents as an inky black secretion prior to pupation, it retained patches of dark purplish grey on the dorsal epidermis, suggesting that it may sequester pigments derived from the aphid; (2) some other hoverflies taken at Mitcham Common, including Anasimyia transfuga (L.).
ORAM, D. A.—Syrphus octomaculatus (Walker) (Syrphidae) was included in an exhibit of insects from the Falkland Islands.
PARSONS, M.—Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.) (Conopidae), female from Worthing, W. Sussex, 13.vii.90, a new county record.
PERRY, I.—A selection of uncommon Diptera found in 1990: Odontomyia argentata (Panz.) (Stratiomyidae), Wicken Fen, Cambs., 12.v., male swept from the edge of a ditch, first record for the Reserve since 1957; Rhamphomyia physoprocta Frey (Empididae), Chippenham Fen, Cambs., 15.vii., female swept from Phragmites; R. trigemina Oldenberg, Kinrara, Inverness, 14.vi., from marshy lakeside vegetation; Clinocera nivalis (Zett.) (Empididae), Cairngorm, Inverness, 15.vi., swept from boggy area by melting snow patches at 1000 m; Rhaphium gravipes Hal. (Dolichopodidae), Aviemore, Inverness, 16.vi., on shingle by edge of river Spey; R. lanceolatum Loew, Loch an Eilein, Inverness, 10.vi., and Craigellachie, Inverness, 13.vi., swept from seepages at both sites; Argyra auricollis (Meig.) (Dolichopodidae), Ceunant Mawr, Gwynedd, 26.vii., found on moss-covered rocks by waterfall; Dorylomorpha albitarsis (Zett.) (Pipunculidae), Craigellachie, Inverness, 13.vi., from five sites in Spey Valley in mid June; Callicera rufa Schummel (Syrphidae), reared from larva in rot hole of ancient Scots Pine at Rothiemurchus, Inverness, 12.vi.; Mallota cimbiciformis (Fall.) (Syrphidae), reared from pupa in beech rot hole at Wandlebury, Cambs., 18.v.; Geomyza hendeli Czerny (Opomyzidae), Wicken Fen, Cambs., 27.v., in Juncus tussock; Gonatherus planiceps (Fall.) (Scathophagidae), Cairngorm, Inverness, 15.vi., swept from boggy area by melting snow patches at 1000 m.
PLANT, C. W.—(1) Sphaerophoria bankowskae Goeldlin (Syrphidae), new to Britain from Canfield Hart, Essex, 9.vii.86; this species is close to S. abbreviata sensu Stubbs & Falk, 1983 (=S. fatarum Goeldlin); single examples of eight other British species of Sphaerophoria were exhibited for comparison; (2) two uncommon Conopidae: Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.), taken in a light trap at Hampstead Heath, Middlesex, 30.vii.90; Conops vesicularis (L.), from Wentwood, Gwent, 26.v.90.
COLEOPTERA
ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—A selection of beetles found during National Trust biological survey fieldwork during 1990, mostly in Devon, but with additional material from Cornwall and Buckinghamshire.
Devon: Silpha tristis Ill., sea-cliff, Bolt Tail, 27.vi; Prionocyphon serricornis (Muller, P. W. J.), oak woodland, Heddon Valley, 24.vii.; Agrilus angustulus (Ill.), swept from willows by marsh, Killerton Estate, 3.vii; Dirhagus pygmaeus (F.), woodland ride, Burchett’s Wood, Hembury, 11.vi; Cantharis figurata Mann., rush stand in moorland valley, Plym Head, Dartmoor, 19.vi.; C. paludosa Fall., valley mire, Trowlesworthy Warren, Dartmoor, 19.vi, Malthinus frontalis (Marsh.), oak woodland, Castle Drogo Estate, 9.vii; Ma/thodes mysticus Kiesenw., valley oakwoods, Hembury and Holne Woods, vi; Dermestes undulatus Brahm, slumped sea-cliffs, Dunscombe, 18.vii; Cryptarcha strigata (F.), at sap-run on oak, Killerton Park, 5.vii; Halyzia sedecimguttata (L.), alder carr, Killerton Estate, 5.vii, and also seen during the year in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Cumbria; Opatrum sabulosum (L.), sea- cliff, Prawle Point, 27.vi, and also at Cornwall locality; Prionychus ater (F.), under loose bark on hawthorn, Killerton Park, 3.vii; Strangalia aurulenta (F.), ancient rough
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parkland, Whiddon Park, 2.vii; Clytra quadripunctata (L.), riverside woodland, Dunsford Wood, 16.vii; Cryptocephalus bipunctatus (L.), scrub-invaded heath, Piddledown Common, Castle Drogo, 12.vii; Chrysolina oricalcia (Muller, O. F.), Northam, 30.v.; Calomicrus circumfusus (Mar.), heathland, Hembury, 14.vi., and elsewhere; Cassida murraea L., flushed pasture, Woolacombe, 14.vii., and elsewhere; Larinus planus (F.) and Rhinocyllus conicus (Fr6l.), thistly pasture, Southdown Cliff, 12.vi.; Smicronyx jungermanniae (Reich), coastal heathland, Noss Mayo, 21.vi., and elsewhere; Platypus cylindrus (F.), on cut oak trunk, Killerton Park, 3.vii., and also seen at Nettlecombe Park, Somerset.
Cornwall: Thymalus limbatus (F.), under bark on fallen dead oak bough, Ethy Woods, 19.v., new county record; Hyperaspis pseudopustulata Muls., coastal heathland, Godrevy, 17.v., and in Valency Valley, Boscastle; Barypeithes sulcifrons (Boh.), coastal heathland, Portquin, 22.v.
Buckinghamshire: Dorcatoma flavicornis (F.), in fallen oak bough with red-rot, Aderus populneus (Creutz.), beaten from oak foliage, Xyleborus dryophagus (Ratz.), under beech bark, all from Stowe Landscape Park, 28.viii.
COPESTAKE, D.—Some beetles from Inverness-shire: Bolitobius inclinans (Grav.), Loch Morlich, 17.vii.90; Abdera triguttata (Gyll.), flying, sawmill, Abernethy Forest, 19.vii.90; Lathrobium dilutum Er., under branch on sandy river bed, Glen Feshie, 17.vii.90; Callicerus rigidicornis (Er.), beating pine tops, Nethy Bridge, 8.vii.90; Rabocerus gabrieli Gerh., beating pine tops, Nethy Bridge, 18.vii.90; Geodromicus longipes (Mann.), under stone, mountain top, Cairngorm, 16.vii.90; Anthophagus alpinus (Payk.), under stone, mountain top, Cairngorm, 16.vii.90; Notaris aethiops (F.), evening sweeping, confluence of Rivers Nethy and Spey, 12.vii.90; Amara fulva (Muller, O. F.), bed of River Feshie, 17.vii.90; Catops longulus Kell., evening sweeping, confluence of Rivers Nethy and Spey, 17.vii.90; Asaphidion pallipes (Dufts.), river bed, confluence of Rivers Nethy and Spey, 17.vii.90; Amara quenseli (Schon.), river bank, Dorback Burn, 11.vii.90; Notiophilus aestuans (Mots.), river bank, Dorback Burn, 11.vii.90; Acupalpus dorsalis (F.), river banks, Dorback Burn, 8.vii.90; Xyloterus lineatum (Ol.), in water tub, sawmill, Abernethy Forest, 14.vii.90; Cymindis vaporariorum (L.), under stone, Dorback Burn, 11.vii.90; Magdalis duplicata Germ., beating living pines, Nethy Bridge, 18.vii.90; Ampedus nigrinus (Herbst), beating living pines, Nethy Bridge, 20.vii.90; Anthonomus varians (Payk.), beating living pines, Nethy Bridge, 18.vii.90; Pyropterus nigroruber (Deg.), on cottage door, evening, Nethy Bridge, 17.vii.90; Bolitophagus reticulatus (L.), in hard fungus on birch, Glen Feshie, 17.vii.90.
Some beetles from Windsor Great Park: Notolaemus unifasciatus (Lat.), under fallen oak bark, 24.v.90; Aderus oculatus (Payk.), beating oak, 21.vi.90; Mycetochara humeralis (F.), under loose bark of oak log, 24.v.90; Colydium elongatum (F.), under oak bark, 21.vi.90; Agrilus pannonicus (Pill. & Mitt.), sweeping under old oaks, 21.vi.90; Abdera biflexuosa (Curt.), on dead branches of small oak, 7.vi.90.
HENDERSON, M. K.—Carabids of Wimbledon Common, found by general collecting and pit-fall trapping over the last 3 years. Three traps were set up in heathland and three in woodland in the south-east of the common (the area around Bluegate Gravel Pit and Hookhamslade Pond). The traps set in heathland caught some species typical of essentially dry sandy situations (Ptferostichus cupreus (L.), Platyderus ruficollis (Mars.), and Harpalus rufipes (Deg.)) and the usually maritime species Polistichus connexus (Fourc.). The woodland catch contained a number of typically woodland species: Abax parallelepipedus (Pill. & Mitt.), Notiophilus rufipes Curt., Pterostichus niger (Gyll.) and Calathus piceus (Mars.). Other species recorded were fairly ubiquitous ones; Carabus nemoralis Muller, O. F., C. problematicus
40 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Herbst, C. violaceus L., Nebria brevicollis (F.), (early and late in the year), Notiophilus biguttatus (F.), Dyschirius globosus (Herbst), Pterostichus minor (Gyll.), P. madidus (F.), (the most abundant species), P. strenuus (Panz.), P. versicolor (Sturm), Calathus fuscipes (Goeze), Agonum fuliginosum (Panz.), Acupalpus dubius Schilsky, and Dromius linearis (Ol.).
HopceE, P. J.— Notable Coleoptera from Southern England: Acupalpus flavicollis (Sturm), clay undercliff, Hastings/Fairlight, new to E. Sussex, 17.iv.87; Deronectes latus (Steph.), Marsham Sewer, Pett, E. Sussex, 24.v.90; Agabus labiatus Brahm, East Guldeford Level, new to E. Sussex, 26.vi.90; Tachyusa coarctatus Er., R. Rother, Woolbeding, new to W. Sussex, 8.viii.90; Gyrophaena joyoides Wust., in Polyporus squamosus, Hampstead Heath, new to Middx, 10.ix.90; Oxypoda exoleta Er., in moss, Arundel Park, new to W. Sussex, 2.v.90; Cyphon pubescens (F.), Coldwaltham, new to W. Sussex, 16.vi.90; Byrrhus fasciatus (Forst.), rabbit burrow, Camber Castle, Rye, new to E. Sussex, 26.iv.90; Diasticticus vulnertus (Sturm), rabbit burrows, Cranwich, new to W. Norf., 20.vi.90; Ptinus lichenum Mars., on lichen-covered fence posts, East Guldeford Level, new to E. Sussex, 26.vi.90; Meligethes ochropus Sturm, on Stachys palustris L., Bury, new to W. Sussex, 16.vi.90; M. haemorrhoidalis Forst., on Lamium album L., South Stoke, new to W. Sussex, 28.iv.90; Telmatophilus schoenherri (Gyll.), on Typha angustifolia L., East Guldeford Level, E. Sussex, 17.vi.90; Adonia variegata (Goeze), Dover, E. Kent, 22.viii.90 and Mickleham Downs, Surrey, 28.ix.90; Melandrya barbata (F.), flying, New Forest, Hants., 21.v.90; Donacia sparganii Ahrens, on Sparganium emersum Rehmann, Barcombe Mills, E. Sussex, 18.viii.90; D. crassipes F., on Nymphaea alba L., Ober Water, New Forest, Hants., 10.vii.90; D. dentata Hoppe, on Sagittaria sagittifolia L., Bury, W. Sussex, 25.vii.90; D. cinerea Herbst, on Typha, Pett Level, E. Sussex, 19.vii.90; Longitarsus parvulus (Payk.), beaten from Prunus spinosa L., Dover, E. Kent, 22.viii.90; Chaetocnema arida Foud., swept, Pett, E. Sussex, 24.v.90; Apion gyllenhali Kirby, on Vicia cracca L., Amberly Wild Brooks, W. Sussex, 29.viii.90; A. vicinum Kirby, on Mentha aquatica L., Coldwaltham, new to W. Sussex, 29.viii.90; Ceutorhynchus mixtus Muls. & Rey, on Corydalis claviculata (L.), Midhurst Common, new to W. Sussex, 8.viii.90; C. viduatus (Gyll.), on Stachys palustris L., Bury, new to W. Sussex, 16.vi.90.
KNILL-JONES, S. A.—Beetles from Freshwater, I.o.W.: Harpalus rufibarbis (F.), 27.vii.85, 22.vii.89; Rhantus suturalis (Macleay), 25.v.89, 10.vii.89; Oncomera femorata (F.), 22.vii.89; Carabus violaceus L., 5.viii.89; Hydrophilus piceus (L.), 20.ix.61; Arhopalus tristis (F.), 17.viii.83; A. rusticus (L.), 22.vii.89; Dorcus parallelipipedus (L.), 2,13.vii.83, 15.ix.84; Chrysolina banksi (F.), 28.ix., 14.x.83, 10.iii.90; Nicrophorus humator (Gled.), 17.v.84, 28.iii., 20.v.89; N. vespillo (L.), 23.vii.89; Necrodes littoralis (L.), 11.vii.89; Serica brunnea (L.), 26.vii.89, all at m.v. light. Other species included: Pyrochroa serraticornis (Scop.), 21.vi.83; Strangalia maculata (Poda), 8.viii.84; Onthophagus coenobita (Herbst), 28.vi.84; Silpha tristis Ill. and 30.viii.84; Timarcha goettingensis (L.), 9.v., 14.vii.84.
McCCLENAGHAN, I.—Some beetles from Donegal, Ireland, August 1990: Bledius germanicus Wagner, B. longulus Er., B. fergussoni Joy, B. erraticus Er., Coccidula rufa (Herbst), Calathus melanocephalus (L.) var. nubigena Hal., Coccinella undecimpunctata L. var confluens and two specimens of Nephus redtenbacheri (Muls.) one of which had dark brown elytra, black head and pronotum. From other areas: a ‘giant’ 24-mm specimen of Creophilus maxillosus (L.), found on bee brood and thought to have developed on bee larvae; Adalia dipunctata (L.) with very rough (mat) elytral surfaces but with smooth and shining head and pronotum, Ryton Wood, War., 25.vi.89; Symbiotes latus Redt., Herongate, Essex, 8.iii.84; Orthoperus
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nigrescens Steph., garden compost, Southam, War., 19.11.89; Magdalis barbicornis (Lat.), pair on old pear tree, Southam, War., 16.vi.90; Coprophilus striatulus (F.), Clutton, Som., 3.v.82; Deleaster dichrous (Grav.), at m.v. light, Southam, War., 7.vili.88.
Morris, M. G.—Some interesting orthocerous weevils from Continental Europe (1987 to 1990). Rhynchites bacchus (L.), an extinct British species, last recorded in 1843, abundant on plum (Prunus sp.), Pestani, Macedonia, Jugoslavia. vi.90. Rhynchites auratus (Scop.) (?) Another extinct British species. These specimens, from Almond (Prunus dulcis L.), Pestani, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90., are extremely large and shown with specimens from France and Spain for comparison. Rhynchites hungaricus Herbst, a large and attractive species, feeding on Rosa spp., the larvae in flower buds, Galicica National Park, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Oxystoma) pseudocerdo Dieckmann, recently recognized as distinct, various localities in Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Phrissotrichum) wenckeri Brisout, C., an extremely local species in France, known only from Vernet-les-Bains, Pyrenees-Orientales, and specific to Cistus laurifolius, iv.89. Apion (Perapion) simum Germ., one of the Hypericum-feeding species, which do not occur in Britain. Col des Faisses, Lozere (Cevennes), viii.90. Apion (Ceratapion) scalptum Muls. & Rey, one of several species associated with thistles and related Compositae, near Ohrid, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Ceratapion) armatum Gerst., recorded once in Britain, but in an atypical habitat; probably only casual. This specimen from Galicica National Park, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Ceratapion) penetrans Germ., a common species on the Continent, feeding on species of Centaurea, Reffuveille, Manche, vii.90 and Gorron, Mayenne, France, viii.90. Apion (Ixapion) variegatum Wencker, well-known species which seems to be less common than formerly, feeding on mistletoe (Viscum album L.). Occurred with the mistletoe anthocorid, mirid and psyllid bugs at S. Pierre de Maille, Vienne, France, vii.90. Apion (Lepidapion) argentatum Gerst., common species of a subgenus which does not occur in Britain. Associated with species of Genista, Grospierres, Ardeche, France, viii.90. Apion (Lepidapion) pseudogallaecianum Hof., not known outside France. Probably associated mainly with Ulex minor Roth. Beaten from this plant in numbers at Mezieres-sur-Issoire, Haute-Vienne, France, vii.90. Apion (Exapion) subparallelum Desbr., Mediterranean species, associated with Calycotone spp. Boca di a Testa, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Exapion) uliciperda Pand., similar in appearance and feeding habits to the common British A.(E.) ulicis (Forst.) on Gorse (Ulex europaeus L.), near Cahors, Lot, France. iv.89. Apion (Exapion) lemovicinum Hof., another Ulex-feeding species not recorded from Britain. Beaten from U. minor in numbers (with A. (L.) pseudogallaecianum) at Mezieres-sur-Issoire, Haute-Vienne. France, vii.90. Apion (Exapion) corniculatum Germ. associated with black broom, Lembotropis nigricans, larvae feeding in the pods, Labunista, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Trichopterapion) holosericeum Gyll., one of the few tree-feeding species; associated with hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), Trpezica, Macedonia, Jugoslavia, vi.90. Apion (Taenapion) rufulum Wencker spp. distinctirostre Desbr., closely related to the British A. (7.) urticarium (Herbst), and also a nettle-feeder, Petreto-Bicchisano, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Thymapion) origani Planet, a small version of the British A. (T.) vicinum Kirby, but associated with Origanum vulgare L., Col des Faisses, Lozere (Cevennes), vili.90. Apion (Protapion) dentipes Gerst., a sexually dimorphic species, somewhat similar to our A. (P.) difforme Ahrens, Venaco, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Loborhynchapion) brundini Wagner, an Arctic species, associated with Astragalus frigidus, Abisko, Torne Lappmark, Sweden, vii.87. Apion (Eutrichapion) scabiosum Weise, associated with Calycotone spp., abundant, Boca di a Testa, Corsica, iv.88. Apion (Eutrichapion) scandinavicum Dieckmann, only recently recognized as distinct; associated with Arctic species of Astragalus such as A. frigidus, Abisko, Torne Lappmark, Sweden, vii.87 (with A. (L.) brundini).
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ONSLOW, N.—Aphodius coenosus (Panz.), Hothfield, Kent, 6.v.90, this specimen was found in horse dung, but the population survives in rabbit dung, the Kent Biological Archive has no other record since 1905; A. foetens (F.), horse dung, Gillingham, 1.vii.89 and cow dung, Challock, 21.viii.89, both in Kent; Halyzia sedecimguttata (L.), Ashford, Kent, vii.89, it also came to light at the BENHS field meeting to Ashtead Common, Surrey, 21.vii.90; Tomoxia biguttata (Gyll.), on birch stumps, Hothfield, Kent, 7.vi.87, in 1990 numbers seemed to increase, as they also seem to have in the Ham Street area; Bytiscus betulae (L.), usually found on Betula (birch), but in this case Populus tremula L. (aspen), Ham Street, 6.v.90; Lymexylon navale (L.), a single damaged specimen taken at m.v. light, BENHS field meeting to Ashtead Common, Surrey, 21.vii.90.
ORAM, D. A.—Two beetles from the Falkland Islands, the carabid Metius blanda (Dej.), Port Howard, 17.ii.90, and the weevil Mal/vinius compressiventris (Enderlein), Port Howard, 17.11.90.
SIMMONS, M. J.—Some beetles taken in Poland: Chalcophora marina (L.), on fallen tree, 4.vii.89; Trypocopris vernalis (L.), in flight, Puszcza Bialowicza, 25.vi.89; Oiceoptoma thoracicum (L.), 6.vii.89; Diaperis boleti (L.), in hollow of tree, Puszeza Solska, 4.vii.89; Anatis ocellata (L.), 30.vi.89; Cicindella hybrida L., on sandy path, Puszcza Solska, 7.vii.89; Strangalia quadrifasciata (L.), on umbellifer, Janow Lubelski, 2.vii.89; Lamprohiza splendidula (L.), found glowing at night, Janow Lubelski, 2.vii.89 and quite common.
Some beetles from the Ariege province of France: Prionus coriarius (L.), m.v. light, 18.vii.90; Necrodes littoralis (L.), m.v. light, 21.vii.90; Trichius fasciatus (L.), on umbellifer, 21.vii.90; Hoplia coerulea (Drury), riverbank, Oust, 21.vii.90; and Maz D’ Ail, 25.vii.90; Lucanus cervus, 19.vii.90.
WHITTON, P.—Carabidae from Oxfordshire: Carabus monilis F., Hampton Poyle, 18.v.89; Leistus rufomarginatus (Dufts.), Wychwood Forest, 18.vi.88; Notiophilus germinyi Fauv., Oakham Quarry, 15.viii.88; Elaphrus uliginosus F., Weston Fen, 11.vi.89; Dyschirius luedersi Wagner, Weston Fen, 19.v.89; D. politus (Dej.), Horsehays Sandpit, 27.vi.87; Clivina collaris (Herbst), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 10.v.89; Trechus discus (F.), Spelsbury, 26.vii.87; T. micros (Herbst), Little Coxwell, 24.vi.88; 7. secalis (Payk.), Whitecross Green Wood, 11.vii.87; Bembidion punctulatum Drap., Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.x.85; B. varium (Ol.), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.ix.86; B. clarki Daws., Chimney, 20.v.88; B. fumigatum (Dufts.), Clattercote Reservoir, 2.vi.90; B. decorum (Zenk.), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.x.85; B. monticola Sturm, Stanton Harcourt Pit 52, 12.iii.89; Tachys parvulus Dej., Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 7.v.88; Pterostichus anthracinus (Panz.), Chimney, 20.v.88; P. gracilis (Dej.), Otmoor, 7.1.90; P. longicornis (Dufts.), Otmoor, 7.1.90; P. macer (Mars.), Chimney, 21.v.77; P. oblongopunctatus (F.), Shotover Edge, 1.vii.90; Laemostenus terricola (Herbst), near Sydlings Copse, 9.ix.88; Synuchus nivalis (Panz.), Horsehays Sandpit, 27.vi.87; Agonum micans Nico., Otmoor, 13.v.90; A. gracile Sturm, Otmoor, 13.v.90; A. piceum (L.), Otmoor, 2.xii.89; Amara eurynota (Panz.), near Sydlings Copse, 9.ix.88; A. montivaga Sturm, Standlake Gravel Pit, 12.iii.77; A. tibialis (Payk.), Standlake Gravel Pit, 12.iii.77; A. fulva (Muller, O. F.), Cothill, 26.ix.86; A. consularis (Dufts.), Stanton Harcourt, 12.vi.89; A. convexiuscula (Mars.), Ardley, 11.x.86; A. /unicollis Schiod., Noke Wood, Beckley, 6.ii.88; Harpalus azureus (F.), Stratton Audley Quarry, 27.vii.88; H. ardosiacus Luts., Stanton Harcourt, 7.v.88; H. punctulatus (Dufts.), Stanton Harcourt, 12.vi.89; H. schaubergerianus Puel, Enslow Bridge, 12.ix.86; H. puncticeps (Steph.), Cothill, 3.x.86; H. smaragdinus (Dufts.), Cothill, 2.iv.86; H. anxius (Dufts.), Hitchcopse Sandpit, 2.iv.86; Acupalpus consputus (Dufts.), Appleton Lower Common, 20.v.90; Badister unipustulatus Bon.,
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Otmoor, 6.v.90; B. meridionalis Puel, Otmoor, 23.ix.90; B. sodalis (Dufts.), Weston Fen, 25.vi.88; Licinus punctulatus (F.), Wood Eaton Quarry, 14.x.86; Oodes helopioides (F.), Chimney, 20.v.88; Chlaenius nigricornis (F.), Otmoor, 5.v.90; C. vestitus (Payk.), Stanton Harcourt Pit 30, 5.x.85; Panagaeus bipustulatus (F.), Stanton Harcourt, 17.vi.88; Lebia chlorocephala (Hoffman.), Asham Meads, 2.xii.89; Dromius agilis (F.), Bagley Wood, 26.vi.76; Brachinus crepitans (L.), Stratton Audley Quarry, 27.vii.88.
HEMIPTERA
There were only three Hemiptera exhibits this year, but this was increased to four by the presence of a large bug on its own in a box on the table set aside for unidentified specimens. It was found in an Oxford house and proved to be the ‘assassin bug’ Reduvius personatus (L.).
ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—A selection of Heteroptera found during National Trust biological survey fieldwork in Devon and Cornwall, Summer 1990.
Devon: Sehirus biguttatus (L.), under stone in open oakwood, Heddon Valley, 24.vii., also at Hembury Woods; Corizus hyoscyami (L.) (Rhopalidae), sandy sea- cliffs, Stoke point, Noss Mayo, 21.vi.; Dicranocephalus agilis (Scop.), amongst Portland spurge on sea cliffs, Moor Sand, 26.vi., and elsewhere along Salcombe Coast; D. medius (Muls. & Rey), nymphs from wood spurge at edge of oakwood, Hembury Woods, 14.vi.; Beosus maritimus (Scop.), sandy sea-cliffs, Southdown Cliff, 12.vi.; Rhyparochromus pini (L.), sandy sea-cliffs, Baggy Point, 4.vi.; Capsodes gothicus (L.), scrubby sea-cliff, Wembury, 25.vi.; Saldula arenicola (Scholtz), seepages, Weston and Dunscombe Undercliffs, vii.
Cornwall: Sciocoris cursitans (F.), sand dunes, Godrevy, 17.v.; Lasiacantha capucina Germ., swept, coastal heath, Chapel Porth, 23.v., and Physatocheila smreczynskii China, beaten from lichen-covered apple trees, Boconnoc Park (private land), 20.v.
HAWKINS, R. D.—Heteroptera from the Pembrokeshire coast, 1990. Corizus hyoscyami (L.), Bosherston, mostly on or under rest-harrow (Ononis repens L.) Arenocoris falleni (Schill.), Bosherston, under clumps of rest-harrow and storksbill (Erodium cicutarium L.). Dicranocephalus agilis (Scop.), Bosherston and Freshwater West. Gampsocoris punctipes (Germ.), Bosherston and Freshwater West, on rest- harrow clumps. Henestaris laticeps (Curt.), Strumble Head, under clumps of buckshorn plantain (Plantago coronopus L.) on the cliff tops. Beosus maritimus (Scop.), Strumble Head, running about between the clumps of buckshorn plantain, English stonecrop (Sedum anglicum L.) and other plants on the cliff tops. Megalonotus chiragra (F.), Freshwater West and Strumble Head. Pionosomus varius (Wolff), Bosherston and Freshwater West. Adelphocoris seticornis (F.), Kilgetty, taken from a clump of greater birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus uliginosus L.) growing among rushes. Polymerus palustris (Reuter), Kilgetty, from a luxuriant mat of flowering plants including marsh bedstraw (Galium palustre L.).
HopceE, P. J.—Notable Hemiptera-Heteroptera from southern England: Ischnodemus quadratus Fieb., sweeping long grass, Dover, E. Kent, 22.viii.90; Placochilus seladonicus (Fall.), abundant on patch of Knautia arvensis (L.) beside the main Newhaven road, Beddingham, E. Sussex, 17.vii.90; Capsus wagneri Rem., associated with fields containing large Deschampsia tussocks in three localities in the Arun valley, new to Sussex, Coldwaltham, 16.vi.90, Pulborough, 25.vi.90, Bury, 25.vii.90. This is a major extension to the known range of this species. A specimen was also exhibited from Catfield Fen, E. Norf., 20.vi.90.
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HYMENOPTERA
ARCHER, M. E.—Some notable species of solitary wasps and bees taken in the south-west, mainly during July 1985; Colletes marginatus Smith and Megachile leachella Curt., Berrow Dunes, Somerset; Andrena hattorfiana (F.) and Lasioglossum laticeps (Schenck), Axmouth/Lyme Regis undercliffs, Devon; Eumenes coarctata (L.), Pseudopipona herrichii (de Saussure) (correction of locality as recorded in Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 19: 62), Podalonia hirsuta (Scop.) (ix.81) and Dasypoda altercator (Harris), Godlington Heath, Dorset; Andrena bimaculata (Kirby) and Nomada furcata Panz., coastal path, Sidmouth, Devon; Astata pinguis (Dahlbom), Dawlish Warren, Devon; Andrena fulvago (Christ), Rhodborough Common, Glos.
Also exhibited were specimens of the social wasp Dolichovespula media (Retz.) from East Grinstead, Sussex (col. R. Edwards) and Dursley, Glos., (col. B. Pawlyszyn) together with a map of south-east England showing how this species has become widely established in Surrey, Sussex and Kent and has spread to Glos., Beds, Essex and Norfolk.
HALSTEAD, A. J.—Some local sawflies taken in 1990, by sweeping unless otherwise stated: Abia sericea (L.), Old Winchester Hill, Hants., 11.vii.90 (col. G. Knight); Zaraea fasciata (L.), Old Winchester Hill, Hants., 11.vii.90 (col. G. Knight); Arge ciliaris (L.), Hoe Stream, Mayford near Woking, Surrey, 2.vi.90; Hartigia xanthostoma (Evers.), Hoe Stream, Mayford near Woking, Surrey, 19,20.v.90; Empria candidata (Fall.) Wisley Common, Surrey, 2.iv.90; Rhogogaster chambersi Benson, Therfield Heath near Royston, Herts., 8.v.90; Tenthredo mandibularis F., River Itchen, Martyr’s Worthy, Hants., 14.vii.90; Pseudodineura fuscula (Klug), Hoe Stream, Mayford near Woking, Surrey, 20.v.90; Pristiphora coniceps Lindq., Black Pond, Esher Common, Surrey, 10.vi.90; P. paedida (Konow), Therfield Heath near Royston, Herts., 8.v.90; Nematus nigricornis Lep., Wisley Common, Surrey, 29.vi.90.
Also exhibited was an aerial nest of Dolichovespula media (Retz.). This social wasp was first recorded in Britain in Sussex in 1980 (Falk, S. J. 1982, Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc.15: 14-16) but has been widely recorded in south-eastern England since then. It was first noted in the RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey in late July 1987, when workers were seen foraging at sap runs on oak trees. It was not seen at Wisley in subsequent years until 26.vii.90, when this nest was found in a shaded part of the canopy of a crab apple tree. The entrance hole at the base of the nest was about 7 feet above ground level and the nest was attached to thin twiggy shoots. It is likely that the nest, which was about 8 inches in diameter, was fully developed, as Dolichovespula spp. generally make modest nests that reach their ultimate size in mid-summer. Four males taken from the nest were also shown.
MCCLENAGHAN, I.—Two species of British ponerine ants: Hypoponera punctatissima Roger, an alate queen, Wilmcote, War., 16.vii.90, the first record for the county for this doubtfully established species; Ponera coarctata Lat., worker from a small nest under a lump of concrete, Berling, Essex, 18.v.86.
ORAM, D. A.—Two ichneumon wasps from the Falkland Islands: A/olophion occidentalis (Morley), at m.v. light, 22.iii.90 and Trachysyrphus penai (Porter), 3.ii.90.
ORTHOPTERA AND DICTYOPTERA
ALEXANDER, K. N. A. & GROVE, S. J.—Two groundhoppers and a cockroach taken during 1990. Tetrix ceperoi (Bolivar), seepages, Weston Undercliff, Devon, 17.vii.90; 7. subulata (L.), sea-cliff stream, Chapel Porth, Cornwall, 23.v.90; Ectobius
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 45
pallidus (Ol.), swept in numbers by KNAA and D. K. Clements from grass tussocks in a marsh at Foxes Bridge Nature Reserve, Forest of Dean, new to Glos., 17.vi.90.
ORAM, D. A.—A cricket from Carcass Island, one of the Falkland Islands, Pasudenus falklandicus (Enderslein), found inside a house, 27.i1i1.89.
ARACHNIDA
ORAM, D. A.—A harvestman spider from the Falkland Islands, Sadocus vallentini (Hogg), being only the second specimen ever found, from among rocks at the top of the beach, above the tide line, Bold Cove, West Falkland, 22.1.90.
ILLUSTRATIONS
AGASSIZ, Rev. D.—A map of SE England showing the distribution of the firethorn leaf-miner moth Phyllonorycter leucographella Zell. Discovered in 1989, it is now known to be fairly widespread in the south-east. Leaflets on the firethorn leaf-miner project were available to all, requesting information and help in the study of the distribution of this species.
ARCHER, E.—Five distribution maps and colour photographs of a variety of bees and wasps, including several revealing the structure and inhabitants of a nest of Dolichovespula media Retz.
BARRINGTON, R. D. G.—A water colour painting of Argynis paphia L., (the silver- washed fritillary). A second water colour incorporated the Cape dwarf chameleon and Stugeta bolkeri a South African species of blue butterfly.
BRADFORD, E. S.—One original colour plate of species of the Gelechiidae (already published), and 55 water colour drawings of further species of the Gelechiidae for future colour plates, to be published by the Society.
CHURCH, S. H., PORTER, J. AND SKINNER, B. F.—Four volumes containing colour photographs of 820 species of British macrolepidoptera. A form was available to members, requesting larvae or photographs of the few remaining species to complete the task of illustrating all the larvae of the British Macrolepidoptera. 750 colour photographs of the adults were also on show.
HARLEY, B.—Colour plates by Richard Lewington for the forthcoming Volume 7, part 2 (Lasiocampidae—Thyatiridae) of The moths and butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland due to be published in the next few months. Also shown were proofs of chapter 2 in the same volume, entitled ‘resting postures in the Lepidoptera’ by M. W. F. Tweedie and A. M. Emmet, with colour proofs of the 64 colour photographs by Michael Tweedie. Proofs of the introduction to chapter 3 in the book ‘Chart showing the life history and habits of the British Lepidoptera’, with manuscript copy of the chart itself which will occupy over 100 double-page spreads and includes over 2500 species on the British list. Proofs of pages 1-142 from ‘The scientific names of the British Lepidoptera—their history and meaning’ by A. M. Emmet.
HARMAN, T. W.—Thirteen colour photographs taken in Nepal during an expedition to that country in 1990. A map of habitats and collecting localities near Katmandu was also exhibited, as well as two large drawers of Lepidoptera, illustrating the diversity of species taken during the expedition.
HENWOOD, B.—Colour photographs of the ova, larva, pupa and cocoon of Hypena obsitalis Hiibn. (bloxworth snout). The photographs, the first of specimens to be bred in this country, were the progeny of a female taken at Torbay, Devon.
MENZIES, I. S.—Eleven colour photographs showing the habitats, sites of oviposition, emergence holes and larval borings of the buprestid beetle Agrilis viridis
46 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
L. on Ashstead Common, Surrey. Previously recorded from Surrey at Bookham Common in June 1988, this species was found in some numbers at three different sites during June (24th & 29th) and July (11th, 12th & 15th) this year (1990) on Ashstead Common.
ORAM, D. A.—Seven colour photographs taken in the Falkland Islands accompanying the specimens collected in the islands.
PARKER, W.—A map and 19 colour photographs of Dinton Pastures Country Park indicating the main areas designated for conservation, wildlife and other land use.
PARSONS, M.—Two colour photographs of larvae of Lasiocampa _ trifolii D. & S. the grass eggar ssp. flava (C.-Hunt). They were reared from eggs laid by females collected at Dungeness, Kent in 1988. One was of the typical form, the other of a white form (the only example noted in the broods). Only one other reference to this form had been found in the literature—Buckler, W. 1888. Larvae of British butterflies and moths. Vol. II1, Bombyces. London, Ray Society.
SOKOLOFF, P. A.—A series of paintings of Microlepidoptera, previously unpublished, executed by the late S. N. A. Jacobs in the 1930s. The style follows that of H. T. Stainton in his The natural history of the Tineina where the moth (natural size and much enlarged) is depicted together with the larva and the foodplant, showing larval feeding.
STERLING, Col. D. H.—A colour poster incorporating scenes and pictures of some of the flora and fauna associated with the Basingstoke Canal. The poster drew attention to the threats posed to the wildlife of the area if power boats and other activities are allowed to expand without some form of control being exercised.
WARING, P.—A series of photographs showing this year’s work on the protected British moths, including Zygena viciae argyllensis Tremewan, the New Forest burnet, of which less than 20 individuals were recorded during a WWF project covering the entire flight period in 1990. Most of the single breeding site, in Argyll, has become too heavily grazed for the moth, as shown in a graph comparing sward height where the moths were seen with measurements elsewhere on site. Other photographs showed the larva of Acosmetia caliginosa Hiibn., the reddish buff moth, found in the wild on the Isle of Wight this year; establishment trials for Pareulype berberata D. & S. the barberry carpet and Thetidia smaragdaria maritima Prout the Essex emerald moth and the ongoing studies of Siona lineata Scop. the black-veined moth. No Hadena irregularis Hufn., the viper’s bugloss moth were reported during 1990.
AMATEUR ENTOMOLOGISTS’ SOCIETY—A stand containing numerous colour photographs of habitats, for a new publication by the Society Habitat conservation for insects, to be issued in December 1990.
BENHS—The Society’s stand, reorganized and updated, including a number of colour plates from British hoverflies, as well as other coloured illustrations from various Society publications.
BENHS members were able to display some of their slides, using a projector and small screen provided by Mr Brad Ashby.
ASHBY, C. B.—Photographs of moths and their larvae, showing various aspects of their colouring and shape, and the means by which they are camouflaged against their backgrounds.
JONES, R. A.—Photographs from the Greek island of Lesvos, including the ‘retreats’ of a spider possibly Zodarion sp., made from tiny pebbles and tiny pieces of burnt olive wood. Also harvester ants dragging seeds back to their nest.
LAMBERT, S.—A variety of views, plants, fungi and butterflies from some ancient woodlands.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 47
Murpuy, F. M.—Spiders from Malaysia including Liphistius desultor (photographed by M. W. F. Tweedie) and its tunnel-web nest showing the door open, then shut; L. murphyorum and L. malayanni.
NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL—A stand containing numbers of photographs plus text, explaining the problems caused by the break-up of the Nature Conservancy Council. Photographs of Rainham and other Thames marshes were shown, bringing attention to the threats posed by the possible development of the marshland habitats.
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Trigona-mimicking hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Amazonian rainforest? — A lot of examples are known of flies mimicking bees (e.g. Grove & Ghosh, 1914; Buchman & Buchman, 1981). However, observations of flies mimicking the large tropical bee genus 7rigona have to my knowledge never been published before.
The observations reported here were made in the tropical lowland rainforest on the flooded varzea forest at Affiangu, Rio Napo, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador (00° 32’ S, 76° 26' W) about 300m above sea level, April 1986. The bee fauna of the site has been described in Borchsenius & Olesen (1990), Olesen (1988, 1989) and Olesen & Balslev (1990).
Two Syrphidae spp.—a thick shining one, Ornidia obesa (F.), and a black slender one, Baccha sp.—were observed to consume pollen from Piper sp. and Potomorphe peltata (L.) (Piperaceae). These are both shrubs in secondary growth in light gaps in lowland rainforest. The flies visited the flowering inflorescences together with other insect species, beetles, bees and drosophilids. However, pollen-collecting Trigona individuals were very numerous. The thin Baccha sp. looked especially like the trigonas in size, shape, colour and flight behaviour. I suggest that the presence of both Baccha and Trigona on the same food plant indicates Batesian mimicry, i.e. a less frequent harmless species (Baccha) imitates a frequent harmful one (Trigona) thus reducing, for example bird predation.
My thanks to Francis Gilbert for information on mimicry and to Ernst Torp who identified the syrphids.—Jens Mogens Olesen, Department of Genetics and Ecology, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Building 550, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
REFERENCES
Borchsenius, F. & Olesen, J. M. 1990. The Amazonian root holoparasite Lophophytum mirabile (Balanophoraceae) and its insect visitors. J. Trop. Ecol. 6: 501-505.
Buchman, S. L. & Buchman, M. D. 1981. Anthecology of Mouriri myrtilloides (Melastomataceae, Memecyleae), an oil flower in Panama. Biotropica 13: 7-24.
Grove, A. J. & Ghosh, C. C. 1914. The life history of Psylla isitis. Mem. Dept Agric. India, Ser. Ent. 4: 329-357.
Olesen, J. M. 1988. Nest structure of a Euglossa sp. nov. in a fruit of Theobroma subincanum from Ecuadorean Amazonas. Acta Amazonica 18: 327-330.
Olesen, J. M. 1989. Behaviour and nest structure of the Amazonian Bombus transversalis in Ecuador. J. Trop. Ecol. 5: 243-246.
Olesen, J. M. & Balslev, H. 1990. Flower biology and pollinators of the Amazonian monoecious palm, Geonoma macrostachys: a case of intraspecific Batesian mimicry. Principes 34: 181-190.
48 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
BENHS INDOOR MEETINGS
13 June 1990
The President, Mr C. W. PLANT announced the death of Mr D. B. Furmage.
Mr R. A. JONES showed a specimen of the clerid beetle Korynetes caeruleus (Deg.) taken from inside one of the rear bedrooms of Knole House, Sevenoaks, 6.v.90, flying at a window. This beetle preys on the woodworm beetle, Anobium punctatum (Deg.). It may be coincidental, but on a visit to the house in 1988 this particular room was being renovated after discovery of extensive woodworm damage to the wooden wall panels.
Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed a specimen of the rare pipunculid fly, Nephrocerus flavicornis (Zett.) found 1.vi.90 in a moribund state on a window sill in the library at RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. Another specimen had been netted near the River Wey at the RHS Garden exactly 1 year previously. A third specimen was swept from under oak trees near the Hoe Stream at Mayford, near Woking, Surrey, on 2.vi.90. All three specimens were males. Mr Halstead also showed some larvae of the sawfly Eriocampa ovata (L.) feeding on alder leaves and collected at the RHS Garden, Wisley. These larvae secrete a white waxy substance from their bodies and rest with their heads curved round towards their abdomens. In this state they make a passable imitation of bird droppings.
Mr C. W. PLANT showed a hoverfly, believed to be Syrphus vitripennis Meig., which had yellow hind femora. Amongst the known British species of Syrphus, females of S. ribesii and S. vitripennis are traditionally separated in the field by the yellow hind femora of the former, compared with the largely black hind femora of vitripennis. Using the revised key to the genus by Speight in Dipterists’ Digest, this specimen keys to either vitripennis or sexmaculatus Zett. However, it is clearly not the latter species which also has yellow hind femora. Although the specimen exhibited was teneral the tarsi were fully darkened, leading to speculation that the hind femora were truly yellow in the fully dried adult insect. However, Martin Speight had commented that the mechanism of pigment deposition is not properly understood and that it is possible that two processes are involved, the first, including the tarsi, taking place in the pupal stage and the second, including the femora, involving post emergence secretion of pigmentation. Whatever the truth may be, it is clearly unreliable to continue separating S. ribesii and S. vitripennis in the field on the basis of leg colour.
The name of Russell John Nevin was read for the second time and he was duly elected as a member.
The President announced that subscription rates to the Society were going to be increased. Life membership has been raised to £500 with immediate effect; the other rates apply after Ist January 1991 and are £15 for London members, £10 for ordinary members, £4 for junior members and £15 for corporate members.
The President also said he had written to the Director of the BM (NH) to express the concern of the Society over the museum’s new corporate plan which involves redundancies in the entomology department. The museum’s director is to hold a meeting to explain the corporate plan to interested parties and the BENHS would be represented at this meeting by Mr Roger Morris.
Mr M. BROWN said that during the weekend of 2-3.vi.90 a number of painted lady butterflies were seen at Wye, Kent. Mr R. TuBBS said that on 2.vi.90 he had seen three red admirals and two painted ladies on a buddleia at RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. Mr C. W. PLANT referred to the hoverfly Sphaerophoria bankowskae which has recently been added to the British list. Alan Stubbs had taken a specimen in Northamptonshire and so the species should be looked for now.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 49
There then followed a slide evening.
Mr C. B. ASHBY showed some slides of a recent BENHS/LNHS field meeting held on Wimbledon Common. He also showed some examples of moths at rest on backgrounds that gave them varying degrees of concealment. A visit to the Angarn marsh in Sweden was illustrated with a series of slides of insects and other wildlife. Mr Ashby closed his set with a slide of the noctuid moth, Autographa mandarinina. This species is spreading from eastern Europe and is now found in Norway. It may move further westwards to Britain, where it could be confused with the silver Y moth, A. gamma.
Mrs F. M. Murphy illustrated a recent visit to south-west Spain with slides of spiders, including black widows, a variety of insects, lizards and a toad.
Mr M. SIMMONS showed a further selection of slides taken during his visits to the Bialowicza and Solska forests in Poland near the Russian border.
27 June 1990
Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed a live specimen of Palloptera muliebris (Harris) (Diptera: Pallopteridae) taken by sweeping near the bank of the River Wey at RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey, on 26.vi.90. This acalypterate fly has attractively marked wings which are extended from the body and waved as the fly crawls about. Also shown was a female specimen of Acrocera orbicula (F.) (=globosus) (Diptera: Acroceridae) swept from long grass near the bog at Shortheath Common, near Bordon Camp, Hants, on 24.vi.90. This is a scarce fly which has larvae that develop as internal parasitoids of spiders. | Mr J. DOBSON showed three local insects found at Lightwater Country Park, | Surrey, on 17.vi.90. These were the scarce seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella magnifica | (Redt.), found on a silver birch sapling in birch/bracken woodland near a wood ants’ nest; the dusky cockroach, Ectobius lapponicus (L.), a male resting on a grass stem at about 5 p.m.; Rivellia syngenesiae (F.) (Diptera: Platystomatidae), swept from rushes in a dry area near a path. Mr M. BROWN showed on behalf of Mr A. Harman two larvae of the mullein moth, Cucullia verbasci (L.). These were representatives of a large number found feeding on Verbascum bombycerifereum in a garden at Ongar, Essex. Mr R. D. HAWKINS showed a short series of the asparagus beetle, Crioceris asparagi (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) found on asparagus on an organic smallholding near Reigate, Surrey, on 16.vi.90. Eggs and larvae were also present. Mr R. A. JONES showed some live specimens of Orchesia micans (Panz.) (Coleoptera: Serropalpidae) bred from larvae found in a hard black Fomes-like fungus on an elm tree below Chanctonbury Ring, W. Sussex. These beetles are able to skip when alarmed. Mr C. W. PLANT showed three pyralid moths. Phlyctaenia perlucidalis (Hiibn.) was first noted as British in 1951 from Woodwalton Fen and has until recently been more or less confined to the East Anglian fens. In the last 2 or 3 years, however, it has spread. A male taken on the night of 25/26.vi.1990 at Stocking Wood, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts., is apparently a new record for the county. Nascia cilialis (Hiibn.) is described in Goater’s British pyralid moths (Harley Books, 1986) as being extremely local in the fens of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire with an outlying colony on the Hampshire coast. During a visit to Sawbridgeworth Marsh Nature Reserve on the Hertfordshire/Essex border on 14.vi.1989, however, this was far and away the commonest moth—even outnumbering Noctua pronuba (L.)! During June 1990 the moth was again present in great numbers, with over 300 attracted to a light trap
pier ee ae ee
50 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
on a single evening. Unlike the above species, however, N. cilialis does not appear to be spreading; the Sawbridgeworth colony has clearly been present, undetected, for a considerable time and it would seem well worth searching other marshland sites in Hertfordshire, Essex and elsewhere for this species. Catoptria falsella (Denis & Schiff.) is a very common grass moth in late summer in Mr Plant’s garden at Bishop’s Stortford, yet in 5 years of almost nightly trapping in East Ham, only 35 miles to the south, he never saw this species. The larva is said to feed from within a silken tube on moss on walls; it would therefore seem that perhaps pollution may be the reason for the moth’s absence from east London. It would be interesting to see exactly how far south the moth does reach, to see where the ‘‘cut-off point’’ occurs.
Mr R. Morris was invited by the President to give an account of the meeting he had attended as the Society’s representative at the Natural History Museum, where the management explained their plans for the future in the museum’s new corporate plan. He had also attended another meeting earlier in the day when the museum staff gave their view of the plan. Mr Morris said that it was clear that the museum was underfunded and, as a consequence, needed to adjust its staffing levels. There had been inept management, with the staff being kept in the dark until the plan was announced, instead of the plan being developed in consultation with the staff. Some cuts have been made in sectors which were already short of staff and money. There has been considerable criticism of the direction in which the museum is moving but the management seems determined to concentrate on an ecological taxonomic approach at the expense of pure taxonomic studies. Dr I. McLean asked whether the Museum staff were still in need of letters of support. Mr Morris thought that this was correct.
Mr M. BROWN noted that he had run a light at Sevenoaks, Kent, on a warm night on 26.vi.90 but had caught few moths. The trap was about 200 yards from sodium street lights which might have diminished the effects of his own light.
Dr R. C. WELCH then gave an account of a visit to Chile and Argentina during the southern hemisphere spring of 1984. His talk was entitled ‘‘In the footsteps of Darwin’’ as his tour included some places visited by Charles Darwin in his voyages on the Beagle. Dr Welch saw and photographed some of the insects and other animals illustrated in Darwin’s account of his expedition. Dr Welch was particularly interested in the invertebrate fauna associated with southern beech trees, Nothofagus spp. His talk was illustrated with many slides of the caterpillars, beetles, sawflies, eriophyid mites and other animals that feed on this type of plant, together with slides of birds, mammals, wild flowers, scenery and people encountered during his travels.
25 July 1990
Mr E. W. GROVES showed three examples of the horse chestnut scale, Pulvinaria regalis Canard (Hemiptera: Coccidae), taken from a large colony on the trunk of a sycamore tree, Acer pseudoplatanus L., along the River Thames towpath opposite Molesey Lock, Hampton Court, on 21.vii.90. The scales were generally distributed over the trunk but were particularly numerous around the trunk protuberances about 12 feet up. Each scale was perched on the edge of its white waxy egg mass. This insect was also seen on a nearby lime tree. P. regalis was first recorded simultaneously in London and Paris in 1973; its country of origin is unknown but Japan is a possibility. Mr Groves also showed a specimen of the hoverfly, Volucella inanis (L.) taken near the entrance to a nest of the social wasp Vespula vulgaris (L.) in the roof space of a house at Coulsdon, Surrey, on 20.vii.90. This species lays its eggs on the inside wall of wasp nests, and the larvae feed as scavengers on the nest debris.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 51
Mr C. B. ASHBY showed a live specimen of the hoverfly Volucella zonaria (Poda) taken in the roof space of a house in Cheam, Surrey, where there was an active wasp nest. Mr Ashby noted that various books referred to V. zonaria as an immigrant species and asked whether it was now known to breed here. The President confirmed that it does and said that he had recently seen two females near the entrance to a nest of Vespula germanica (L.) under the eaves of an office in East Ham.
The Secretary, Dr J. MUGGLETON, said he had five glass-topped display boxes, surplus to MAFF requirements, available to anyone who wanted them.
Mr G. PRIOR noted that there were large numbers of Celastrina argiolus (L.), the holly blue, and Anthocharis cardamines (L.), the orange tip, in the Woodstock area this year.
Mr Groves said that despite the warm summer, his raspberries had been little affected by raspberry beetle.
Mr R. SOFTLY said that when Baron de Worms had reviewed the Lepidoptera of the London area he had found only one record of the least carpet, Jdaea vulpinaria (Lempke), taken at Hampstead Heath in 1890. One hundred years on, Mr Softly had taken this moth there for the first time.
Dr J. MUGGLETON gave the lecture, in which he described a visit he had made to the central area of the Pyrenees in June 1989. The talk was entitled ‘The Haute Pyrenees—a botanist’s view’ and was illustrated with slides of wild flowers found in the alpine and sub-alpine zones.
12 September 1990
Joint meeting with the London Natural History Society held at the rooms of the Linnean Society.
The President Mr C. W. PLANT showed an aberrant specimen of a male common carpet moth, Epirrhoe alternata Miller, O. F., together with a typical form. The aberration was taken at Sawbridgeworth Marsh Nature Reserve, Herts., on 27.vii.90. The outer and inner thirds of each forewing were suffused blackish all over with scarcely discernible whitish cross lines. The normal black coloration of the median fascia of the forewings was largely absent, being confined to a black reniform stigma and a paler dark streak adjacent to the dorsum, both set against a white ground colour. The hind wings were typical, if somewhat darker than usual, except that the grey terminal shading extended proximally to the median fascia, more or less obscuring the cross lines. The normally chequered fringes of all four wings were grey throughout. The pattern on the undersides of the wings reflected that of the upper surface, as in the typical form.
The President announced that he had received 270 replies to the letter he had circulated to the membership concerning the Society’s future arrangements for accommodation. This represents a 40% response and he thanked those who had replied. These letters indicated overwhelming support for the Dinton Pastures Country Park proposal. The matter has been discussed by Council and they have decided to proceed further by investigating the details of a lease and the costs of building. The Society is not yet committed to Dinton Pastures and other options may be looked at. The President said that the 14 November meeting was a members’ slide evening and would provide an opportunity for members to discuss this matter.
The President also reported that two of the LNHS’s publications, Flora of the London area and Butterflies of the London area, were on sale at the reduced prices of £12 and £11.50 respectively.
Mr C. B. ASHBY reminded BENHS members that while their library was in store they could make use of the LNHS library held at Imperial College. Tickets for the library can be obtained from the BENHS secretary, Dr J. Muggleton.
52 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Mrs F. M. Murpuy made available some leaflets giving details of a proposed new organization called ‘‘Friends of the Natural History Museum, London’’. The impetus to form this organization has arisen out of concern for the Museum’s future following the recently announced corporate plan for the next five years.
Mr M. BROwN said that he had run an m.v. light at Snargate, Romney Marsh, on 8.ix.90 to see whether the marsh mallow moth, Hydraecia osseola Mab. was present. Its food plant has declined and only one male was seen.
Mr C. W. PLANT said that he had recently had reports of Lampides boeticus (L.) the long-tailed blue butterfly in the London area from three people. This species was seen at Kensal Green Cemetery on 26.viii.90 and subsequently at the Gillespie Nature Park near Arsenal tube station. At the latter site they have been seen laying eggs on bladder senna Colutea arborescens L. As far as is known, these butterflies are not the result of deliberate releases and Mr Plant noted that with hot summers and milder winters it might be possible for migrant species to become permanently established.
Mr C. B. ASHBY reported on the continuing LNHS survey of Bookham Common in Surrey. Dr I. Menzies had with the aid of a miniature bat detector recorded both Conocephalus dorsalis (Lat.) the short-winged and C. discolor (Thunb.) the long- winged conehead crickets. The latter is unusual for the area and is possibly a recent arrival.
The names of David Greeno, Peter Gerald Silver, Robert John Heape and Alfred George James Butcher were read for the second time and these persons were duly elected as members.
The lecture was given by Dr P. MERRITT who gave an account of the biology of the spider, Eresus niger (Petagna), largely based on his own studies at a heathland site in Dorset. This spider occurs throughout much of the Palearctic region but, while common in parts of southern Europe, is rare in northern areas. Up until 1906 it was known in Britain from records of just six males and one female in East Dorset. Many of its former sites have now been lost through building and other developments. In 1979 it was rediscovered when two males were taken in pit-fall traps at a site west of Poole Harbour. Adult males are much more likely to be recorded than females or immatures of either sex. This is partly due to their striking black and red coloration but also because it is only males which move about over the soil and plants when, in bright sunshine in late April-May, they seek mates. The females and immatures live in silk-lined vertical tunnels in the soil. The spider makes a silk hood which incorporates pieces of plant debris over the top of its tunnel, making it very difficult to detect. This hood forms the catching area for prey which is detected as it walks over the web. Young spiders prey mainly on ants; the older spiders and adult females take a wide range of prey including other spiders, beetles, woodlice and occasionally bumblebees. The spiders seize their prey by a leg and inject venom into a joint. The prey is pulled through the silk hood and taken down into the tunnel. The males mature in late summer and apparently overwinter in their burrows, although this has not been observed in Dorset. Mating takes place in the late spring with the males possibly being attracted to the females by pheromones. After mating, the male leaves the female’s tunnel but may return after recharging its sperm ducts. The female lays about 80 eggs in a silk cocoon in late May which is carried up to the top of the tunnel during the day. Towards the end of June the eggs hatch and the female seals her tunnel with silk and no longer feeds herself. She provides food for the young spiders by regurgitation and when she dies it has been observed in Germany that the young spiders will feed on her body. The young spiders overwinter in the maternal tunnel and in the following spring they disperse and make individual tunnels. They do not, however, go far and are mostly within 1-2 m of the maternal tunnel. The spiders take 4-5 years to reach
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 53
maturity and adult females can live for several years, although they can only breed once.
Dr Merritt has monitored the E. niger population at his study site for several years. Its flora consists mainly of old heather, lichens and scots pine. In 1981 the heather was badly damaged by heather beetle and in the following year there were fewer prey insects available for spiders due to this loss of heather. The spider is also more vulnerable to predation by young green woodpeckers when the ground cover is sparse. Heather has regrown from seedlings but in 1982 the known population consisted of five females, three males and three immatures. The females were artificially fed and protected by netting. Males were introduced to the females in order to encourage matings. All the females subsequently produced young. In the 1985 season the population had been built up to 12 breeding females.
26 September 1990
Mr M. J. SIMMONS showed two examples of froghoppers with differing nymphal habits. These were Philaenus spumarius (L.), the nymphs of which suck sap from plant stems and cover themselves in a frothy liquid known as cuckoo spit, while those of the other species, Cercopis vulnerata Ill., live underground and feed from plant roots.
Mr C. B. ASHBY displayed a catalogue from Wyseby House Books of Silver Birches, Burghclere, Newbury, Berks. RG15 9JS. This lists reprints of articles on entomological and other subjects taken from various journals.
Mr E. E. EMMETT showed two beetles taken in his garden at Haslemere, Surrey. A longhorn beetle, Arhopalus rusticus (L.), was taken in a Robinson light trap on 2.viii.90. Although previously a northern species, it is now frequently found throughout Britain. The other specimen was a Strophosomus weevil found eating the leaves of a rhododendron on 19.ix.90.
The President Mr C. W. PLANT showed two scarce conopid flies. These were Leopoldius brevirostris (Germ.) and Conops vesicularis L. The former is a nationally rare insect with a Red Data Book 2 rating. Its larvae are probably parasitoids of social wasps and two likely candidates are Vespula rufa (L.) and Dolichovespula sylvestris (Scop.). The specimen, a male, was taken in a light trap at Ken Wood, Hampstead Heath, Middx, by Mr R. Softly on 30.vii.90. It was passed to the exhibitor in whose collection it now rests. Dr D. Clements, national coordinator of the Conopid Recording Scheme, believes this is only the eleventh British record of this fly from ten localities. Another specimen was taken in recent years in the London area by Mr A. Godfrey at Sydenham Hill Wood, South London, also in a light trap in July. The other specimen shown, C. vesicularis, is a nationally notable fly, being recorded in less than 100 of the 10-km squares in the Ordnance Survey’s national grid. Its larvae develop in the bodies of the bumblebee, Bombus muscorum (L.). The specimen was taken in the first sweep of the day at about 9.30a.m. on 26.v.90 in a ride at Little Oak Plantation, Wentwood, Monmouthshire. The same sweep from vegetation in sunshine also yielded the scarce hoverfly Brachypalpus laphriformis (Fall.).
Mr C. B. ASHBY made available some leaflets giving details of the opening hours and regulations for use of the London Natural History Society’s library. This is available to BENHS members while our own library is in store by obtaining a ticket from the Secretary. When asked whether this arrangement would be renewed next year Mr Ashby said he would check with the LNHS but he thought it likely that this would be the case. Mr Ashby also announced that he would try to obtain the Sutton Camera Club’s slide display cabinet for our Annual Exhibition and asked members to indicate if they had slides they wished to show.
54 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
The President Mr C. W. PLANT pointed out that there were a number of posts, including Field Meeting Secretary, Indoor Meetings Secretary and Minutes Secretary, that shortly need filling. He also said that the editor would like drawings suitable for printing on the front cover of the Journal.
Mr M. J. SIMMONS said that on the morning of 18.ix.90 he had found a convolvulus hawk moth, Agrius convolvuli L., at rest in his garden at Crowborough, East Sussex. He also read an article from a recent edition of the Daily Mirror referring to an invasion of 4 inch wasp spiders at Weymouth, Dorset.
Mrs F. M. MuRPHY said they were the spider Argiope bruennichi (Scop.) which had been here for some time but had probably benefitted from the recent hot summers. She said it was also found in parts of Hampshire and Mr Emmett said he had seen it at Rye, Sussex.
Mr E. BRADFORD said he had taken Heliothis peltigera D. & S. in his garden a few months ago.
Mr D. LEEs said that Lampides boeticus (L.) the long-tailed blue butterfly had been seen at Kew Gardens, Surrey, on the 7 or 9.ix.1990.
Mr Plant said that he had been to Arsenal tube station where this butterfly has been seen nearby. He saw about ten, including females laying eggs on bladder senna, Colutea arborescens L., and was also able to collect larvae which were now pupating. It was suggested that this was the first record of this species breeding in this country apart from some earlier doubtful records. [There is some debate on this point. Ed. }
Mr Emmett said that he had been shown a photograph of a convolvulus hawk moth, Agrius convolvuli L., in pristine condition taken at Hindhead in the first week of September. The President, Mr Plant, urged members to send records of all migrant species seen to either Mr M. Chalmers-Hunt or Mr R. Bretherton, who each year collate records of migrants.
Dr F. GILBERT then gave a lecture ‘‘On the abundance of hoverflies’’. Adult syrphids show little variation in form or habits. This, however, is not the case with the larvae and a study of them has enabled Dr Gilbert to devise a scheme showing the evolutionary relationships between the syrphid genera. The most primitive types are believed to be Eumerus spp. which feed on fungal decay in plants. The phytophagous types, such as Merodon and Cheilosia spp., are one branch of development from the primitive form but the main line of development is through yeast-feeding types living in various habitats such as at sap runs, in rot holes and under bark. Other feeding habits, such as preying on aphids or living in the nests of ants, wasps and bumblebees, have arisen from this yeast-feeding line.
The mouthparts of adult hoverflies are adapted for feeding on pollen and nectar from flowers or from leaf surfaces. There is little variation between species or from fossil flies. The abundance of adult flies can vary both during the day and during the summer. Annual fluctuations in numbers are largely accounted for by changes in the numbers of predatory species, some of which are migratory. There does not seem to be any direct relationship between hoverfly numbers and weather or aphid numbers. Those types of hoverflies whose larvae are general feeders are usually more abundant than those with special requirements in terms of prey or habitat. The common species are also more widespread geographically then the specialist feeders. Amongst the predatory syrphids the more advanced types were generally specialist feeders associated with trees and shrubs, while the more primitive types have larvae with generalized feeding habits and are mainly found in the leaf litter.
Dr Gilbert noted that some hoverflies are excellent mimics of bees and wasps. If an insect is to gain protection from mimicry, it normally has to be less abundant than the insect it is imitating. Some yellow- and black-striped syrphids, eg Syrphus spp.,
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 55
are assumed to be wasp mimics but are very abundant and therefore the resemblance may be no more than coincidental.
10 October 1990
The President, Mr C. W. PLANT announced the death of Dr K. C. Greenwood.
Mr M. SIMMONS showed three species of Criorhina (Diptera: Syrphidae). These were C. berberina (F.), C. ranunculi (Panz.) and a male and female C. asilica (Fall.). All were taken in or around a wood near Eynesford, Kent, in 1989 and 1990. These flies breed in dead wood and are regarded as scarce and local, being found mainly in southern England. The adults are often taken at hawthorn flowers. Both C. berberina and C. ranunculi occur in two colour forms: those exhibited were the typical form of C. berberina and the white-tailed form of C. ranunculi.
Mr Simmons announced that as the rooms at the Royal Entomological Society would not be available to the BENHS on Wednesday evenings in 1991, indoor meetings would be held on Tuesdays in the New Year.
Mr Simmons said that on 30.ix.90 he had taken a specimen of the geometrician, Grammodes stolida F., in his garden at Crowborough, E. Sussex. It is believed that this is only the second example of this noctuid moth to be taken in Britain, the previous specimen being taken on 23.ix.1903 near Dartmouth, Devon.
Mr R. SOFTLY reported that he had recently been to Skipper’s Island off Walton- on-the-Naze, Essex, in search of Fisher’s estuarine moth, Gortyna borelii Frey. With four colleagues walking line abreast and searching by torchlight, four specimens of the moth were seen at rest below the umbels of hog’s fennel, Peucedanum officinale L. Mr Fisher, who discovered the moth in 1968, still lives in the area and helped arrange the visit to Skipper’s Island.
The President drew attention to a letter received from the Orkney Islands Field Club which is appealing for £600 to help set up a biological records centre. He also noted that a number of crimson speckled moths, Utetheisa pulchella L., had been taken along the south coast in recent weeks.
Sir Cyril Clarke then spoke on the subject of ‘‘Learning genetics from butterflies and moths’’. He explained that he was a physician rather than a trained geneticist. His introduction to the subject came through hand mating experiments with swallowtail butterflies. By making hybrids between various species he was able to learn about their genetic make-up. The knowledge of polymorphic inheritance gained from insects has applications in human biology. Sir Cyril was able to disprove a supposed link between susceptibility to duodenal ulcers and blood group O. He was also able to discover the relationship of the rhesus factor in blood groupings to the birth of blue- blood babies, and to devise a successful treatment to overcome this problem.
Sir Cyril noted that it did not seem to be possible to achieve in-vitro fertilization of moth eggs. There is, however, an account written in 1792 by John Hunter, in which he describes how this was done successfully with silk moth eggs. These eggs still exist in a specimen jar in the Hunterian Museum. Sir Cyril has examined these through the glass jar and queried whether the eggs had really hatched or whether they had collapsed.
The scarlet tiger moth, Callimorpha dominula L., occurs in three forms and at the well-studied site at Cothill, Berks., the relative numbers of these forms fluctuate widely from year to year. In 1939 a colony was established at a small site near Liverpool and in 1968 it was found that the typical form and media nigra were present in equal proportions. During the following 20 years the same ratio was maintained. Sir Cyril suggested that the variations noted at Cothill might be due to the greater disturbance
56 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
at that site caused by people capturing and recording the moth. He had noticed a change in the ratio when he began marking and recapturing moths at the Liverpool site.
14 November 1990
Mr R. A. JONES showed three insects from the Greek island of Lesvos, each of which showed some bizarre structural form. What was at first thought to be a beetle (family possibly Nitidulidae), which despite being only 8.5 mm long had long dense hairs over 1 mm long, making it as furry as a bumble bee, was later shown by Mr R. Hawkins to be a shield bug, /rochrotos maculiventris (Germ.)! A froghopper (Hemiptera: Homoptera) had the front of its head produced into a long spine-like process almost as long as its body. A large shield bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) with small sharp tooth-like foliations along the sides of its head, pronotum and connexivum, was later determined by Mr Hawkins to be Mustha spinosula (Lefebvre).
The names of Messrs I. K. Dawson, D. I. B. Hoare and N. R. Lowe were read for the second time, and these persons were duly elected as members. Mr R. Heap signed the obligations book.
The Indoor Meetings Secretary Mr M. SIMMONS solicited suggestions for speakers for the 1991/1992 programme.
B. K. WEST reported that on a recent trip to Togo he had been unable to determine from the Embassy in London whether any form of permit was required to collect or export collected insects from that country. However, on arrival in Togo he was astonished at the pleasant and helpful nature of the local customs officials, even when collecting in the ‘‘no man’s land’’ between the border post and the Ghanaian boundary. Apart from a few reserves, the forests were disappearing, with only small areas remaining. He met several local collectors, who seemed to be concentrating their efforts on some of the larger and more showy species such as the swallowtail butterfly Papilio dardanus.
There then followed a discussion of the 1990 Annual Exhibition. 185 members and 54 visitors had signed the attendance book, making a total of 239. This was less than last year when 281 people signed, the shortfall appearing to be mainly in the visitors. The dinner was attended by 56 members and visitors. According to the exhibit numbers handed out, there were 119 exhibits, compared with 136 in 1989. There seemed to be generally fewer people present, an indication being that the bar closed at 3 o’clock. Mr R. A. JONES reported that the Coleoptera exhibits were fewer in number than previous years, and put this down to several regular exhibitors not being present this year. Mr P. CHANDLER reported that there were only seven Diptera exhibits. It was suggested that several dipterists were not present because they were attending the wedding of Mr Steven Falk which was taking place on that day. Mr J. M. CHALMERS-HUNT reported that the exhibits of Microlepidoptera were excellent, and included a species new to Britain and possibly a species new to science. Lt. Col. A. M. EMMET said that this species appeared to be new to science because he had been unable to find it in the literature from Britain, north-west Europe, North America, South Africa or Japan. On the day of the exhibition he had also discovered the mines of Phyllonorycter platani in the leaves of plane trees in the grounds of Imperial College, this being a species new to Britain. B. K. WEST reported that there were fewer Macrolepidoptera exhibits than usual, there being particularly fewer aberrations. The colour plates of specimens exhibited could not be filled, only one and a half plates’ worth being photographed. Two very interesting specimens of Orthosia gothica ab. circumsignata Hasebroek were removed from the exhibition by 2 o’clock before it was possible to photograph them. The number of exhibits from the Channel Islands was seen as a welcome trend, these exhibitors often finding species a few years before they arrived on the mainland.
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During a discussion on the Society’s possible move to Dinton Pastures, Mr P. CHANDLER showed maps, plans and photographs of the country park, and discussed the Society’s option to build a purpose-built headquarters there. An architect had carried out a feasibility study, and had come up with plans for a building with 1000 square feet for the Society’s needs and 360 square feet for a display area for the Country Park. The local authority are prepared to give the land to the Society free of charge on condition that the Society meets the expense of erecting a building which contained such a display area. At present, the Society was examining the legal requirements of a lease. The length of the lease was expected to be ‘the life of the building’, which the architect estimates to be at least 100 years. Various aspects of the building and the site were discussed, including the need for security. It was envisaged that regular weekend meetings would allow members access to the library and collections, and that workshops could take place. If necessary, the existing meeting room in the park could be hired to accommodate larger numbers of attenders. It was emphasized that evening meetings would continue to be held in London, and the Annual Exhibition and Annual Dinner would continue to be held at Imperial College for the foreseeable future.
During the slide evening which followed, Mr N. A. CALLOW showed slides of a variety of subjects from France. These included a chafer beetle being attacked by ants, the bee-beetle Trichius, brightly coloured chrysomelid beetles, mazarine blues ‘puddling’, a mass of fritillaries on dung, the black-veined white, burnets, lackey moth caterpillars, and a tree covered with silken web and numbers of emerging moths—possibly the bird cherry ermine. Mr R. A. JONES showed some slides of the moth Batrachedra praeangusta Haw. on a tree trunk showing its characteristic pose, and various pictures from the Greek island of Lesvos including harvester ants, a bristle- tail and the igloo-like retreat of a species of Zodarion spider constructed from tiny pebbles or pieces of burnt olive wood.
28 November 1990
The President, Mr C. W. PLANT, showed a live specimen of the Tunbridge Wells gem, Chrysodeixis acuta Walk. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)*. It had been bred from eggs obtained from a female taken at an m.v. light at Bradwell on Sea, Essex, on 18.x.90 by Mr B. Goodey. The larvae were reared on Urtica dioica L., the stinging nettle.
Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed two examples of scale insects collected at the RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. These were Abgrallaspis cyanophylli (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on the cactus Opuntia stenopetala, and Pulvinaria floccifera (Westw.) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on camellia. The latter was present as immature nymphs on the undersides of the leaves which also had some white waxy egg masses. The upper leaf surface of the camellia was coated with sooty mould which grows on sugary excretions produced by the scales.
The names of Derek Alan Coleman, Timothy Martin Coleshaw, Alan Leonard Cooper, Tony Davis, Clive Guy Nicholas Faulkner, Stephen Finney, Laurence Herbert Hamblin, William Robert Brough Hynd, Jurgen Lenz, Charles Edward Pearce, Clive Richard Turner and Mark Anthony Yeates were read for the second time and these persons were duly elected as members.
Mr M. SIMMONS said he had found some caterpillars of Pieris brassicae L. the large cabbage white butterfly the previous week in his garden at Crowborough, E. Sussex, which were about to pupate. This is about one month later than usual.
*See further note in report of meeting of 15 January 1991.
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The President noted that the pyracantha leaf mining moth, Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zell.) had spread from Essex and had arrived in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts. Mr C. BAKER reported that it was also in St Albans, Herts. The President urged members to report sightings to Dr David Nash of Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7BS, who is conducting a survey of the spread of this recent addition to the British list.
The Lecture was given by Mr C. MALUMPHY who spoke on soft scales which are sap feeding insects of the order Hemiptera and family Coccidae. The speaker opened his talk by giving some general details of scale insects, their structure and biology. Forty-eight species of soft scale have been recorded in Britain, of which 23 are exotic species. Some of these are confined to glasshouses but some, such as Pu/vinaria regalis Canard, have become widely established on outdoor plants. Many soft scales damage their host plants by soiling the foliage with their sugary excretions, called honeydew, which make the leaves sticky and encourage the growth of sooty moulds.
The taxonomy of scale insects is based on features of the adult females. Males are short lived, often difficult to find and in some species do not occur at all. Some species can be very variable and the appearance of the shell or scale covering the insect is not a reliable feature. The colouring, size and shape of the shell can be influenced by environmental factors, such as the plant on which the scale is feeding. A polyphagous species, the brown scale, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche), has 130 synonyms. This is not the only species that has caused taxonomic problems. Mr Malumphy has been investigating the woolly vine scale, Pu/vinaria vitis (L.), which also feeds on various other plants including currants, birch and pyracantha. Five names have been given to scale insects in this group but the speaker believes that it is just a single but very variable species.
12 December 1990
Mr R. D. HAWKINS showed a specimen of the yellow-M bug, Hadrodemus m-flavum (Goeze) (Hemiptera: Miridae) collected 10.v.90 in the Gerona province of north-east Spain. Four specimens have been taken in Britain but none in the present century. Also shown was a specimen of Rhinosimus planirostris (F.) (Coleoptera: Salpingidae) taken on an ash trunk, 21.iv.90, at Smallfield, Surrey. This beetle can be mistaken for a weevil due to the snout-like projection on the head.
Mr A. J. HALSTEAD showed two stems of small gorse, Ulex minor L., collected 2.xi1.90 from Lightwater Country Park, Surrey. These stems had spindle-shaped swellings caused by larvae of Apion scutellare Kirby (Coleoptera: Apionidae). He also showed a colour transparency of the scale insect Pulvinaria hydrangeae (Steinw.) (Hemiptera: coccidae). This has become established in Britain, mainly in the Wimbledon SW19 area, since 1988. It primarily infests hydrangea but elsewhere in Europe has been recorded on Tilia platyphyllos Scop., Acer platanoides L., A. negundo, Crataegus, Deutzia, Prunus, Cornus and Viburnum.
The names of Margaret Janet Dempsey, Keith Charles Lewis, David Richard Nash, Roger Graham Payne, Peter Malcolm Potts, Mark Andrew Shippey, Douglas John Taylor, Huw Cledwyn Joseph Williams and Peter Raymond Wright were read for the second time and these persons were duly elected as members.
Mr. R. A. JONES said that the Society’s publication Larvae of the British Lepidoptera not figured by Buckler sold out in 1989. The Rev. D. Agassiz had found a number of loose colour plates for the book in his attic, although there were insufficient to make any complete sets. However it had been possible to bind up 25 copies of the book by making colour photocopies of two plates. These are now available at a cost of £12 for members, £18 for non-members.
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The Secretary, Dr J. MUGGLETON, drew attention to the fact that in the new year indoor meetings at the Royal Entomological Society rooms would be on Tuesday evenings, and that there would be meetings on consecutive Tuesdays on 15th and 22nd January.
Dr E. BENTON said that he was starting to map the distribution of bumblebees (Bombus and Psithyrus spp.) in Essex and appealed for records to be sent to him at 13 Priory Street, Colchester CO1 2PY. The data sent in for the 1980 Institute of Terrestrial Ecology mapping scheme cannot be found, so he is interested in receiving records of species, dates and locations submitted to that scheme. He is also prepared to identify specimens collected in Essex provided that they have full data of where and when they were found.
Mr S. MILES said that he had the privilege of attending the recent presentation of the NCC’s Annual Report, the last from the organization in its current form. He was not aware that members of this Society had attended before but thought it important that we should be represented at future events of this type. Invertebrate conservation will be helped by lobbying the appropriate government departments, both by individual members and by entomological societies. The stated aim of the new structure of the NCC is to ‘improve the delivery of conservation and countryside services throughout Great Britain’. It is up to us to ensure that insect conservation is not neglected in the process. A copy of the NCC Annual Report and the latest issue of the NCC’S Topical Issues was made available for members to examine.
The lecture ‘Dragonfly watching in Essex’ was given by Dr E. BENTON. Dr Benton co-ordinated a dragonfly recording scheme in Essex during 1980-87. Twenty-six species were recorded, of which at least 22 are believed to be breeding in the county. He outlined the history of dragonfly study in Essex which has been well worked by many eminent entomologists, including Henry Doubleday, W. H. Harwood and Cynthia Longfield. There are several important dragonfly sites, such as Epping Forest, flooded gravel pits, the rivers Lea and Roding, Hatfield Forest and coastal grazing marshes. Dr Benton showed slides of the species of dragonfly and damselfly recorded during the survey, showing their distribution, habitats and aspects of their behaviour such as mating and egg laying. The results of the survey have been published by the Essex Field Club as The dragonflies of Essex, price £5.95, and this is available from the Passmore Edwards Museum, 30 Romford Road, Stratford, London, E15 4BZ.
15 January 1991
The President, Mr. C. W. PLANT announced the death of Russell Bretherton, who had been a member since 1947 and was a former President of the Society.
Mr. A. J. HALSTEAD showed some specimens of a small parasitic wasp, Euplectrus bicolor (Swederus) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). At the 9.v.90 meeting he had shown a caterpillar believed to be of the lesser yellow underwing, Noctua comes Hibn., found at the RHS Garden, Wisley, Surrey. It had a compact cluster of ectoparasitic larvae attached to the side of its thorax. The larvae spun loose silk cocoons on 17.v.90, by which time the caterpillar was dying. Adult parasites emerged on 25.v.90 and were subsequently identified by Dr M. R. Shaw. Euplectrus bicolor is said to be common in southern England and is associated with noctuid larvae. It is unusual in that it is one of the very few chalcidoidea wasps that produce silk cocoons. The silk is produced by the malphigian tubules and issues from the anus, unlike ichneumonid larvae which secrete silk from their labial glands.
Mr C. W. PLANT showed a series of three males and six females of a Chrysodeixis species bred from a female captured at Bradwell on Sea, Essex, on 18.x.90, and including the specimen shown two meetings ago as Chrysodeixis acuta Walk.
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(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Three wild-caught female moths taken in north-east Spain in 1988 were also shown and these showed marked differences in colour from the bred specimens. Those from Spain were assumed to be C. chalcites (Esp.), the golden twin spot, and conform with the illustration of C. chalcites in Skinner, B. (1984) Co/our identification guide to moths of the British Isles, plate 41, Fig. 6. The Essex female and those bred from it were thought to be C. acuta, the Tunbridge Wells gem, and fit the photograph at Fig. 7, plate 41, in Skinner (op. cit.). However, examination of the genitalia, especially the aedeagus of the male, shows that all of the exhibited specimens were referable to the same species, probably C. chalcites. This clearly throws doubt on the previous eight British records of C. acuta, as well as on the authenticity of the specimen provided by the BM (NH) for plate 41, Fig. 7, in Skinner’s book.
Dr J. HOLLOWAY commented on colour variation in the Chrysodeixis acuta/ chalcites/eriosoma group and noted the excitement that these tropical pest species cause when they turn up in Britain.
The name of Harold S. Hemsley-Hall was read for the second time and he was duly elected as a member.
The Secretary, Dr J. MUGGLETON, apologized for the late distribution of the list of indoor meetings. This was due to the distribution secretary being away in Brazil over the Christmas period. He also reported that the LNHS had agreed to continue the arrangement by which their library is available to BENHS members. Those members wishing to use the library will need to obtain tickets for the current year from the Secretary.
The Librarian, Mr S. MILEs, made available the annual report of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation and a brochure of courses run by the Field Studies Council.
The President suggested that the entomologically quiet time of mid-winter would be a good opportunity to do some recording of the snow flea, Boreus hyemalis L. This insect is about 6 mm long and resembles a wingless female scorpion fly. It can be taken in pit-fall traps or may be found hopping on snow-covered ground. Records are needed by Mr Plant for the lacewing recording scheme.
The lecture was given by Dr J. HOLLOWAY, who spoke on ‘Moths in the Moluccas’ and described a visit made to the Indonesian island of Seram as part of an ‘Operation Raleigh’ expedition. He and a party of students travelled from the coast along a river up to the highlands in the centre of the island. A number of sites were selected en route where moth trapping with a Robinson trap and a sheet was carried out. All macro-moths that came to the light were counted and collected for identification in order to calculate an alpha value of moth diversity. Representative collections of micro- moths and other insects were also made. The speaker showed slides of some of the moths found in the area.
BENHS FIELD MEETINGS
Leigh Woods NNR, Bristol, 16 June 1990
Leader: R. J. Barnett. This joint meeting with the Royal Entomological Society (West Region) and the Entomology Section of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society was attended by a small number from each society. The afternoon session took in the National Nature Reserve managed by the NCC, part of the Forestry Commission woodland and the towpath along the River Avon.
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Leigh Woods have long been recognized for their immense botanical interest, but the invertebrates have not been as fully explored as one might think. The NCC and Forestry Commission are both re-introducing coppicing and it will be interesting to monitor the effects this may have on the invertebrate fauna.
Good numbers of the beetles Sinodendron cylindricum (L.) and Ptilinus pectinicornis (L.) were flying in the afternoon sunshine, but generally insects were rather elusive. Andrew Duff reported Rhizophagus parallelocollis Gyll. which, although not a particularly rare beetle, appears to be the first record for the old county of Somerset (vice counties 5 and 6).
The evening light-trapping session brought reinforcements of BENHS members from Wiltshire, Devon and South Wales, running, in all, six lights. Sixty-seven species of macro and fifteen micros were recorded of which the most interesting were Discoloxia blomeri (Curt.), Ectropis extersaria (Hiibn.) and Stauropus fagi (L.), the latter in good numbers. Interestingly there appeared to be a high proportion of ab. conversaria (Hiibn.) in the examples of Alcis repandata (L.) which were seen. There was no sign of Sabra harpagula (Esp.) which has not been recorded here since 1938. Perhaps the best capture of the evening was the beetle Pseudocistela ceramboides (L.) which was picked off one of the light traps. Despite running the traps close to the Gorge edge, thankfully nobody disappeared over the precipitous cliff!
Glovers Wood, Surrey, 4 August 1990
Leader: R. D. Hawkins. Three members braved temperatures forecast for the nineties to visit this woodland near Charlwood (TQ 225404). Broad-leaved woodland was perhaps the best place to escape the heat on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year.
The trees surrounding a small overgrown pond in the corner of the wood have been cleared by conservation volunteers to improve the habitat for water plants and insects, and here we found the ladybird Halyzia 16-guttata (L.) and the dragonfly Sympetrum sanguineum (Miiller), neither recorded previously from this area. In this part of the wood the trees originate from the abandonment of coppicing and are of much the same age and size. During a long walk through this rather uniform woodland, we beat two specimens of the stilt-legged assassin bug Empicoris vagabundus (L.) from the understorey of hazel and holly.
A deep ghyll meandering through the wood has the richest flora and this alone is considered ancient woodland. Here the conservation volunteers have cleared a large area in an attempt to reintroduce the coppice cycle. Beside the dried-up stream we found adults and larvae of the shieldbugs Palomena prasina (L.), Dolycoris baccarum (L.) on thistles, and the sedge-feeding Eurygaster testudinaria (Geoffroy). Purple hairstreaks were numerous and many had come down to seek moisture from the remaining damp patches of the stream bed. One expired at our feet and our attempts at resuscitation proved unsuccessful.
Here we met Kent naturalist Clive Stickland who owns two plots in a section of the wood sold off to private owners in small plots of about an acre each. After inviting us to an elegant lunch seated around a rustic table in his plot, Clive took us round the other private areas. He has recorded over 30 species of butterfly for the wood and we admired a fine example of the valesina form of Argynnis paphia L. the silver- washed fritillary. Also in Clive’s plot we found the large mirid bug Oncotylus viridiflavus (Goeze) on knapweed (Centaurea) and the hazel leaf-rolling weevil Apoderus coryli(L.), recorded from here twice previously. By late afternoon the heat had taken its toll and, although the leader wished to continue searching for an elusive
62 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
grasshopper, by a majority vote we decided to call it a day. The major part of the wood is owned by the Woodland Trust, and we offer them our thanks for allowing us to study insects in the wood.
Dungeness, Kent, 29 September 1990
Leader: R. Dyke. With a southerly wind blowing and after finding a convolvulus hawk-moth, Agrius convolvuli (L.) on the famous railway sleepers, hopes were high for the coming night’s trapping. Even when it began to pour with rain, anticipation was not dampened. Unfortunately results did not quite come up to expectations although two more Agrius convolvuli at m.v. light were very welcome. All the local moths turned up, therefore most of the 11 members and friends who attended went home fairly happy. The following is a list of species seen at light or sugar: Udea JSerrugalis (Hiibn.), Nomophilia noctuella (D. & S.), Idea seriata (Schr.), Opisthograptis luteolata (L.), Ennomos alniaria (L.), Aspitates ochrearia (Rossi), Agrius convolvuli (L.), Agrotis segetum (D. & S.), A. ipsilon (Hufn.), A. puta ssp. puta (Hibn.) Noctua pronuba (Hufn.), N. comes (Hiibn.), Paradiarsia glareosa ssp. glareosa (Esp.), Xestia c-nigrum (L.), Xestia xanthographa (D. & S.), Mamestra brassicae (L.), Lacanobia oleracea (L.), Aporophyla australis pascuea (Humph. & Westw.), Aporophyla nigra (Haw.), Polymixis flavicincta (D. & S.), Eumichtis lichenea ssp. lichenea (Hiibn.), Agrochola lota (Clerk), Omphaloscelis lunosa (Haw.), Xanthia togata (Esp.), Xanthia icteritia (Hufn.), Phlogophora meticulosa (L.), Luperina testacea (D. & S.), Nonagria typhae (Thunb.), Autographa gamma (L.).
Bure Marshes NNR, Norfolk, 6 October 1990
Leader: A. P. Foster. The leader was the sole attendant at this daytime meeting on a very windy, though warm autumn day. Among the species recorded during the morning, on the Woodbastwick Marshes section of the NNR, was an abundance of the flea beetle, Longitarsus rubiginosus (Foud.) on the bindweed Calystegia sepium (L.).
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
New records of some Geomyza species (Diptera: Opomyzidae).—I had the unusual experience in June 1990 of finding two species of Geomyza new to me from Britain although I had found one of them previously in France. Although the species of the family Opomyzidae develop in grasses, several are rather poorly known as indicated by Collin (1945) who keyed the British species of the family. Little other than occasional records of some of the less common species have been published in this country since, apart from the addition of Geomyza angustipennis Zett., recognized by having no wing marking other than the apical spot, by Andrewes (1964).
The other addition to the British list was made by Vockeroth (1961) who drew attention to the confusion by Collin (1945) of two species under the name combinata (L.) and figured the genitalia of both species from British specimens. The more frequent of them, balachowskyi Mesnil (1934) is included in the British check list (Kloet & Hincks, 1976), which omitted the other species for which Vockeroth had used the name combinata, because the use of the name was dubious as discussed by Cogan & Dear (1975) who reported that Linnaeus’s type of combinata was not a Geomyza. The name combinata has, however, been used in the subsequent European
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 63
literature (e.g. Martinek, 1978; Sods, 1984) and it would be desirable for its usage to be fixed and the name of the second British species to be clarified to avoid further confusion. Both species are apparently widespread in Britain but much material in collections needs to be checked to determine whether their distribution differs.
Collin (1945) stated that he had not seen a British specimen of venusta Meigen, although it appeared in the 1976 check list without qualification. Confirmation of its presence here was provided when A. A. Allen collected it on chalk downland at Downe, Kent in 1973 and 1980 (Allen, 1977; 1982). Then Clemons (1984) added another Kentish record from a chalk grassland site near Gillingham. On 16.vi.1990, at Aston Rowant NNR, Bucks., I found the species to be present amongst long grass both on the roadside verge adjacent to the reserve (on the clay with flints capping the area) and in a small enclosed area containing taller vegetation on the lower slopes within this chalk downland reserve; three males and three females were collected. G. venusta is apparently frequent in parts of Europe and I had collected it previously in herb-rich meadows in France (Lot), near Payrac, 14.x.1978 and St Martin en Vers, 24.vi.1980. It resembles ‘‘combinata’’ and balachowskyi in general coloration but differs in the genital structure and the absence of clouding on the r-m cross vein.
On 24.vi.1990, during the Society’s field meeting at Slab Common, Hants, I swept a single male of Geomyza which proved to be majuscula Loew, from marginal vegetation by a small pond adjoining carr in a valley subject to much disturbance by military manoeuvres. Collin (1945) recorded this species as new to Britain on females from Chippenham and Burwell Fens, Cambs., and I am unaware of any more recent published British records, although Speight (1979) recorded a female from a lakeside fen in Co. Clare, Ireland. G. majuscula resembles the very common species tripunctata Fall. but is a little larger and may be distinguished by the characters given by Collin (1945). It was described from Austria and occurrence in southern Europe without further detail is indicated by Sods (1984).—P. J. Chandler, Weston Research Laboratories, Vanwall Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4UF.
REFERENCES
Allen, A. A. 1977. Geomyza breviseta Cz. and G. venusta Mg. (Dipt., Opomyzidae) in West Kent, the latter confirmed as British. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 89: 221-222.
Allen, A. A. 1982. The recurrence in Britain (W. Kent) of Geomyza apicalis (Meig.) and G. venusta (Meig.) (Dipt., Opomyzidae). Ent. Mon. Mag. 118: 46.
Andrewes, C. H. 1964. Geomyza angustipennis Zett. (Dipt., Opomyzidae), a species new to Britain. Ent. Mon. Mag. 100: 167.
Clemons, L. 1984. Some interesting Diptera records from north Kent in 1982. Ent. Rec. J. Var. 96: 202-206.
Cogan, B. H. & Dear, J. 1975. Additions and corrections to the list of British Acalypterate Diptera. Ent. Mon. Mag. 110: 173-181.
Collin, J. E. 1945. The British species of Opomyzidae (Diptera). Ent. Rec. J. Var. 57: 13-16.
Kloet, G. S. & Hincks, W. D. 1976. A check list of British insects. Second Edition. Handbk Ident. Br. Insects 11(5): 1-139.
Martinek, V. 1978. Species of the family Opomyzidae (Diptera) in Czechoslovakia. Dipterologica Bohemoslovaca 1: 155-173.
Mesnil, L. P. 1934. A propos de deux diptéres nouveaux de la famille des Opomyzidae. Revue Fr. Ent. 1: 191-207.
Sods, A. 1984. Opomyzidae. In Sods et al., Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Vol. 10, Clusiidae- Chloropidae. 402 pp.
Speight, M. C. D. 1979. Eumerus tuberculatus, Geomyza majuscula and Pteromicra leucopeza: insects new to Ireland, including a key to British Isles Eumerus species. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 397-399.
Vockeroth, J. R. 1961. The North American species of the family Opomyzidae (Diptera, Acalypterae). Canad. Ent. 93(7): 503-522.
64 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991
Ctenophora flaveolata (F .) (Diptera: Tipulidae) new to Gloucestershire.—A single female of the rare ‘old forest’ cranefly Ctenophora flaveolata was found in Cirencester Park Woods, Gloucestershire on 6.v.1990. It was seen flying through an area of the mature beech woodland of Mosses Copse (SO 999022) and was captured when in landed on a trackside.
This species is listed as category 1 (endangered) in the British insects Red Data Book (A. E. Stubbs, in Shirt, 1987), which picks out the New Forest as possibly the best area. This recalls the discovery in the same woodland complex of the fungus gnat Neoempheria lineola (Meig.) in 1986—another New Forest speciality (Chandler, 1987)!—Keith N. A. Alexander, 22 Cecily Hill, Cirencester, Glos GL7 2EF.
REFERENCES Chandler, P. J. 1987. Notes on British fungus gnats of the smaller families and sub-families (Diptera, Mycetophiloidea). Proc. Trans. Br. Ent. Nat. Hist. Soc. 20: 105-118. Shirt, D. B. (ed.) 1987. British red data books: 2. Insects. Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough.
Hypena obsitalis (Hiibn.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) temporarily established in Devonshire.— Whilst on holiday at Torbay, I found a small colony of H. obsitalis (the Bloxworth snout) on a cliff path on the evenings of 2 and 3.viii.1990. On the first evening eight specimens were seen, which nearly equalled the total of nine recorded singletons for this rare immigrant to Great Britain and Ireland (Heath & Emmet, 1984; Skinner, 1984). Four specimens of this variable species were kept and the others released. The following night seven specimens were boxed and then released. With one specimen having a torn left forewing not turning up the second night, the total number for the two nights was twelve. With the past history of only singletons occurring, it seems that with such a number in one locality, the species could be temporarily established on the south Devonshire coast. The exact locality is not being revealed. It is hoped that the species can become resident, as has happened in the Channel Islands.
The stretch of cliff path, where the specimens were found, was 140 metres in length, though one male was found 50 metres further along the path. Flight time was from dusk until midnight, with a peak at 11 pm. Two specimens were jarred out of sloe bushes before dusk. The moths were startled and attracted by torch light but then flew off. Two were attracted up from the cliff face by the light shining down several metres. The moths all flew low, under a metre in height above the ground, except for two which flew out from higher Clematis vitalba L. blossom. The flight was slow with fore legs well extended in front. One was seen flying low over Parietaria judaica, one of its continental foodplants.—A. H. Dobson, 282 Britten Road, Basingstoke, Hants. RG22 4HR.
REFERENCES Heath, J. & Emmet, A. M. 1984. The moths and butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Colchester: Harley. Skinner, B. 1984. Colour identification guide to moths of the British Isles. London: Viking.
THE PROFESSOR HERING MEMORIAL RESEARCH FUND
The British Entomological and Natural History Society announces that awards may be made from this Fund for the promotion of entomological research with particular emphasis on:
(a) leaf-miners
(b) Diptera, particularly Tephritidae and Agromyzidae
(c) Lepidoptera, particularly Microlepidoptera
(d) general entomology in the above order of preference having regard to the suitability of candidates and the plan of work proposed.
Awards may be made to assist travelling and other expenses necessary to fieldwork, for the study of collections, for attendance at conferences, or, exceptionally, for the costs of publication of finished work. In total they are unlikely to exceed £600 in 1991/92.
Applicants should send a statement, if possible in sextuple, of their qualifications, of their plan of work, and of the precise objects and amount for which an award is sought, to Dr M. J. Scoble, Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 6BD, as soon as possible and not later than 30 September 1991.
Applications are invited also from persons interested in borrowing the Wild M3 Stereomicroscope and fibre optics illuminator bequeathed to the Fund by the late Edward Pelham-Clinton, 10th Duke of Newcastle. Loan of this equipment will be made for periods of up to 6 months with the possibility of extension.
INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
Contributions must be typed double-spaced on one side only on A4 paper with 3-cm margins either side to facilitate marking up. Layout should follow that of the Journal, but apart from underlining scientific names, no marks should be made to define typeface. It is helpful, but not essential to send two copies of typescripts and figures.
Line figures and half-tones are accepted. Writing on figures should be neatly added, or listed separately for typesetting, its placing indicated on a duplicate figure. Seek advice before drawing. Reduction may otherwise necessitate redrawing. Colour illustrations may be available, please write to the Editor.
Authors of main articles qualify for 25 free offprints taken directly from the Journal. These may contain extraneous matter such as short communications or book reviews used as ‘fillers’. Extra copies must be ordered when proofs are returned; these will be charged to the author at the printers’ cost price.
MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY
are held regularly and the well-known ANNUAL EXHIBITION and ANNUAL DINNER are planned for Saturday 26 October 1991 at Imperial College, London SW7. Frequent Field Meetings are held at weekends in the summer. Visitors are welcome at all meetings. The current Programme Card can be had on application to the Secretary at 32 Penton Road, Staines, Middlesex TW18 2LD.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
London members £15. Ordinary members £10. Junior members (under 21) £4. Corporate members £15. Life membership £500. Membership joining fee (payable by all new members) £1. Send to: Assistant Treasurer, May-y-mar, Minster Drive, Minster-in-Sheppey, Kent ME12 2NG.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY
11
1S
13 47
VOLUME 4, PART 1, APRIL 1991
ARTICLES
Monochroa moyses sp.n., a new gelechid moth mining the leaves of Scirpus maritimus L. R. W. J. UFFEN
Misidentification of Diaphania hyalinata (L.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Pyraustinae) in the British Lepidoptera fauna. J. A. CLAVIJO A. AND E. MUNROE
Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) as parasites of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae). R. H. L. DISNEY
The effect of leaf age on the performance of the birch aphid Euceraphis betulae (Koch). G. EDWARDS-JONES
PROCEEDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS
1990 Annual Exhibition, Imperial College, London SW7—27 October 1990 British Butterflies
British Macrolepidoptera British Microlepidoptera Foreign Lepidoptera Diptera
Coleoptera
Hemiptera
Hymenoptera
Orthoptera and Dictyoptera Arachnida
Illustrations
BENHS Indoor Meetings, 13 June 1990 to 15 January 1991 BENHS Field Meetings
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Xylophagus cinctus Degeer (Diptera: Xylophagidae) new to Wester Ross. K. N. A. ALEXANDER
Polistichus connexus (Fourcroy) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) on Wimbledon Common. M. HENDERSON
Diptera in the Epping Forest area. M. W. HANSON
Trigona-mimicking hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Amazonian rainforest? J. M. OLESEN
New records of some Geomyza species (Diptera: Opomyzidae). P. J. CHANDLER
Ctenophora flaveolata (F.) (Diptera: Tipulidae) new to Gloucestershire. K. N. A. ALEXANDER
Hypena obsitalis (Hibn.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) temporarily established in Devonshire. A. H. DOBSON
46 [, BY
APRIL 1991 ISSN 0952-7583 Vol. 4, Part 2
LIBRARY cBritish Journal of = JUN 17 1997
ENTOMOLOGY*: “4: N. H,
and Natural History,
Published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society and incorporating its Proceedings and Transactions
Price: £3.00
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
At the end of 1989 the Society vacated its rooms in the Alpine Club. Until the Society moves into new premises, the library and collections will be put into storage. Indoor meetings will be held at the Royal Entomological Society, 41 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The Journal will continue to be published as normal. Without a permanent address, it is important that members have clear and easy communication with the various officers to ensure the continued smooth running of the Society. The following is a list of useful addresses.
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with the assistance of: Editor: R. A. Jones, B.Sc., F.R.E.S., F.L.S. T. R. E. Southwood, K.B., D.Sc., F.R.S.
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British Journal of Entomology and Natural History is published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society at the Editor’s address: BENHS, c/o The Editor, Richard A. Jones, 13 Bellwood Road, Nunhead, London SE15 3DE, UK. The Journal is distributed free to BENHS members.
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BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4: 1991 65
MATE-GUARDING IN EPHYDRA RIPARIA FALLEN (DIPTERA: EPHYDRIDAE)
I. F. G. MCLEAN 109 Miller Way, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs. PEI8 8TZ.
On 5.viii.1989 at the edge of a saltmarsh pool near Aldeburgh, Suffolk (TM 461546) I found a pair of flies belonging to the family Ephydridae with the male mounted on the dorsal surface of the female. I took five close-up photographs of these flies, one of which is reproduced here (Plate III Figure 4). While observing the two flies through the viewfinder of the camera I noticed that the male was not in copula with the female, but rather riding on her dorsal surface in a posture characteristic of mate- guarding behaviour. After spending perhaps 5 or 10 minutes stalking and photographing the flies, they were captured and subsequently determined as Ephydra riparia Fall., using the key by Collin (1963).
A variety of mate-guarding strategies are reviewed by Thornhill & Alcock (1983) including some adopted by members of the Diptera. I have not been able to trace any published references to mate-guarding in Ephydridae, though observations of mating behaviour in what are typically small flies are likely to be difficult. Recently, Dyte (1988) published a detailed account of mate-guarding in Hydrophorus oceanus (Macq.) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) another saltmarsh species, where the males are much smaller than the females and possess raptorial forelegs which grasp the thorax of the female. Additionally, a male-biased sex ratio was recorded in H. oceanus, which is in accordance with other insects which adopt mate guarding behaviour. Ephydra riparia does not have any obvious morphological adaptations for mate guarding and the sexes are of a similar size. It would be of interest to investigate the sex ratio in this species and to make more detailed observations of the pre- and post-copulatory behaviour.
REFERENCES
Collin, J. E. 1963. The British species of Ephydra (Dipt., Ephydridae) Entomologist’s Mon. Mag. 99: 147-152.
Dyte, C. E. 1988. Mate guarding and sex ratio in Hydrophorus oceanus (Macquart) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) The Entomologist 107: 122-126.
Thornhill, R. & Alcock, J. 1983. The evolution of insect mating systems. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
PLATE Ill.
1-3. Some interesting European spiders. F. M. Murphy. 1991. Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 69-76. 1. Macrothele calpeiana. 2. Palpimanus orientalis eating Tegenaria agrestis in the latter’s web. 3. Lycosa tarantula.
4. Mate-guarding in Ephydra riparia Fallen (Diptera: Ephydridae). |. F. G. McLean. Br. J.
Ent. Nat. Hist. 4: 65. Pentax ME Super, 100mm f4 Takumar macro lens set at f32, total 150mm extension with +3 diopter close-up lens, Olympus T28 twin-head macro flash, Agfa CT100 colour reversal film.
66 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 4; 1991
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
A new British species of Neurigona Rondani (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Anglesey.—During the Diptera Recording Scheme’s meeting at Bangor in 1987 I took a female Neurigona at Newborough Warren NNR, Anglesey, which keyed to biflexa Strobl in Parent (1938), and this was later confirmed from a new Palaearctic revision of the genus (Negrobov & Fursov, 1988). I have since compared it with a female from a series of both sexes taken in Portugal by Peter Dyte. The Welsh specimen has lost both third antennal segments, but otherwise agrees with the Portuguese specimen in all respects except that the latter has one or two black bristles among the pale ones at the apex of the front coxae, while the mid-coxal bristles are all black, whereas the Welsh specimen has all pale front coxal bristles and a few pale among the black on the mid-coxae. Peter Dyte tells me that his other Portuguese specimens of both sexes show some variation in this character, but the Welsh specimen is within the range.
In both sexes of N. biflexa the head and thorax are dark in ground colour and heavily grey dusted, the abdomen is yellow with black basal bands on tergites 2-4 which are about half the tergite length in males and one-third in females. The antennae and legs are all yellow, except the front tarsi which are black in males only. The wing venation readily distinguishes biflexa from other British species, the 4th vein (m1 + 2) is strongly undulating beyond the posterior cross vein (m-cu) and convergent with the 3rd vein (r4+5) meeting the costa close to the tip of that vein and well before the wing tip. The distance between the tips of the 2nd and 3rd veins is four times that between the 3rd and 4th veins.
I swept the Newborough female in an area of scrub in the centre of the Warren well away from any trees, and a more promising area for finding further specimens would seem to be the belt of forest between the dunes and the estuary to the north west. The type locality of biflexa is in southern Spain and it seems not to have been recorded from that region again until Peter Dyte captured his series in May 1989 from the Algarve in southern Portugal. I am grateful to Peter Dyte for the loan of his specimen and permission to quote his record.—Jonathan Cole, 2 Lenton Close, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE18 8TR.
REFERENCES
Negrobov, O. P. & Fursov, V. N. 1988. Revision of the Palaearctic species of Neurigona Rondani (Diptera Dolichopodidae) 11. Entomologicheskoye Obozreniye 67(2): 405-416. Parent, O. 1938. Diptéres Dolichopodidae. Faune de France 35: 1-720.
Xylota xanthocnema Collin (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Kent.—On 8.vii.90 whilst collecting in Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent, my eye was caught by a Xy/ota hovering around the slightly buttress-style roots of a large beech tree. It proved to be X. xanthocnema. This species is not recorded in Chandler (1969) and may be new to the county. Stubbs & Falk (1983/1986) record the larva as having been found in the exudate and rot holes