Notes on Suffolk Lepidoptera in 1957

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LEPIDOPTERA NOTES, 1957

211

Very little collecting was possible in August owing to the unfavourable weather conditions, but in September weather improved and the usual autumn moths appeared in good numbers including somefineforms of the Common Wainscot (Lucania pallens Linn.)- No migrants, however, appeared, but a larva of the Death'sHead Hawk Moth (Acherontia atropos Linn.) was found by a Stowmarket schoolmaster on September 16th. Most butterflies have been scarce during the whole season. There was no sign of the Large Tortoiseshell in its usual haunts in the late spring and even the Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell have been far from common. A few Red Admirals were on the wing in mid September.

A FEW NOTES ON SUFFOLK LEPIDOPTERA IN 1957 Since my grandson, Alfred Waller, has been away doing his national service, his light-trap has only been functioning now and again here on favourable nights. Large numbers of the ordinary species have turned up and many have come to a strong light in my room. I was glad to see the Dusky Sallow (Eremobia ochroleuca Esp.), formerly almost confined to the Breck, but now fairly common all over the County. Another visitor was the White-point Wainscot (Aletia albipuncta Fab.) which seems to have found a happy environment in East Suffolk. The Lilac Beauty (Apeira syringaria Linn.), the Peach Blossom (Thyatira batis Linn.) after a long lapse, together with the Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunaria Schiff.) and the Purple Thorn (Selenis tetralunaria Hufn.) also came to the light. It is only in the last few years that we have noticed Purple Thorns in this district. Both the spring and the summer broods of it have appeared. The Hawk Moths, especialy the Privet {Sphinx ligustri Linn.) and the Poplar (Amorpha populi Linn.) have been very plentiful, but the Eyed (Smerinthus ocellatus Linn.) has been generally scarce. Every year some insect of outstanding interest seems to turn up. This year it has been the Alder Kitten (Cerura biscuspis Borkh.). My younger grandson kept the trap going several nights in June and to my surprise brought me a beautiful newly


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Notes on Suffolk Lepidoptera in 1957 by Suffolk Naturalists' Society - Issuu