Various Notes on Microlepidoptera

VARIOUS NOTES ON MICROLEPIDOPTERA by

ALASDAIR

ASTON.

659. Anerastia lotella, Hub., the Coast Knot Horn, turns up with us on the Breck also, amongst grasses on the sand. It was caught at Risby by dusking on July 4th, 1951. 662. Dioryctria formosa, Haw., occurs on elm and flew to light at Stowmarket quite often from 22nd July tili 6th August, 1951. 665. Dioryctria palumbella, Fabr., is supposedly rarely noticed in Suffolk and seems associated with heaths but came to light at Stowmarket 16, 21 .vi.1951. 669. Dioryctria abietella, Fabr., seems only to have been noticed by Barrett from Brandon close to fir trees.

Mr. Chipperfield and I were very pleased to take six specimens at light near Staverton Forest on 23rd August, 1958. We also found one specimen of the dark variety that occurs in Scotland.

674. Euzophera pinguis, Haw., was found at Stowmarket on 3.viii.

1956 and was similarly recorded thence by Bree in 1860. It feeds on ash about Suffolk. 675. Homoesoma sinuella, Fabr., comes towards the coast and on the Breck as at Icklingham, where Mr. Chipperfield and I found it on 28.vi.1958. It came to light at Stowmarket during the 1940's and on 16.vi.51. 676. Homoesoma binaevella, Hübn., and 681 Myelois cribrella, Hübn., are not rare at Stowmarket. 684. Euzophora advenella, Zinck., Stowmarket light, 28th July, 1946 and l.viii.1951. 685. E. suavella, Zinck., is rarer but flew to ordinary light at Stowmarket in 1950 and again in 1951. 690. Achroia grisella, Fabr., should be noted more often than it is. One specimen at Stowmarket houselights, 28.vii.1951. 696. Crambus hamellus, Thunb. Sandy districts as Foxhall, 1947 ; caught at Aldeburgh by Mr. Wilfrid George on 8.ix.56; Staverton, 30.viii.1952 and 6.ix.l958. 706.

Crambus pinellus, L., taken at Walpole, near Haiesworth, by Mr. W. S. George. Stowmarket in August, 1951 onwards. Mr. Chipperfield took one at Staverton, 23.viii.58. 707. C. latistrius, Haw. In sandy districts—Staverton, 30.viii.52 ; 23, 30.viii.1958, but unexpectedly came to light at Stowmarket on 29th August 1958. 708. C. inquinatellus, Schiff. Not all that common; in the Breck, and at Staverton, where it was emerging fresh on 23.viii.58, whereas 712 geniculeus, a commoner species, was becoming well worn. 719. Chilo phragmitellus, Hübn. Flew from nearby reeds to Stowmarket house-lights, 18-26.vii.1951.

720. Acentrop us niveus, Oliv. Dr. Beirne has noted that this species will fly some distance from its aquatic haunts to light, as did six specimens at Stowmarket on August 27th this year.

It is known as the False Caddis Water Veneer and looks so unmothlike that I was grateful to have Mr. Chipperfield's expert eye present at the sheet. 721. Schoenobius forficellus, Thunb.

One specimen at light, Stowmarket, 30.vii.51. 734. Hapalia ferrugalis, Hübn. Probably a migrant and rare in appearance.

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Stowmarket, 1945 and one at light, l.ix.1958. 737. Perinephela sambucalis (coronata, Hufn.). Surely quite common as at Stowmarket in June, July, 1951. 738. Nomophila noctuella, Schiff.

Not seen every season and possibly reinforced by migration.

Felixstowe and Stowmarket, August, 1958. 745. Rhodaria cespitalis, Schiff. Seen once on the Breck about 1947. 749.

Anania nubilalis, Hübn. Probably well established among Artemisia ; occurs at Stowmarket, 3.viii.51, and Mr. Wakely, who had given me larvae, considers it to have been almost the commonest Pearl in South East England for several years. 752.

Loxostege sticticalis, L. Taken on the Breck on the Suffolk Naturalists' Excursion of 14.viii.1950. 753. L. verticalis, L. Surely commoner than the 1937 Moth Memoir allows ? Frequent at Framlingham in 1945 and at Stowmarket in August. 754.

L. palealis, Schiff. Turns up now and again at Stowmarket, as at light on 11 .viii. 1946 and at flowers of Hemp agrimony beside a tributary to the Gipping, 21.viii.Sl, and on several other occasions.

762. Scoparia cembrae, Haw. Rather common at Stowmarket lightsinJuly, 1950 and 1951. 767. Evergestis strameutalis, Hübn.

Tallying with the Revd. Harpur Crewe's 1858 record, three specimens flew to light at Stowmarket on 3, 4, 8.viii.1951. It has not been often noted since 1890, but it doubtless lacks intensive Observation. 770. Endotricha flammealis, Schiff. A record that tends to be Western is that of its capture on July 25 th, 1951, in Onehouse Wood, which, it is rumoured, has recently been acquired by the Forestry Commission. 771. Pyralis glaucinalis and 772. Costaiis are common at Stowmarket, as was the latter at Framlingham on 29th June, 1942. 776. Synaplie angustalis, Schiff. Observed by Mr. W. S. George at Aldeburgh on 18th.vii.

1956.

Among the PTEROPHORIDAE or plume moths the only interesting species that I have noted is Platyptilia gonodactyla, Schiff. 782, a coltsfoot feeder, which I caught at Stowmarket in 1953. In the Cossidae a male 801, Zeuzera pyrina, L., came to light at Stowmarket on August 3rd, 1954. The larvae of 802, Cossus cossus, L., are to be found quite often in elm between Finborough, Onehouse and Stowmarket.

T h e T O R T R I C E S are a large Super-family of nearly 350 British species and mostly they are bell-shaped attractive moths.

812.

Phalonia smec.ihmanniana, Fab., or Smeathman's Conch, is listed in the 1937 Lepidoptera Memoir solely from Ipswich but in 1949 and 1950 it was noted in the Transactions from Kessingland and Pakefield. It came to light at Stowmarket—4, 7.viii.l951. 813.

P. badiana, Hübn., or the Chestnut Conch, came to light at Stowmarket, 26.vii. 1951. 814. P. cnicana, Doubl. The Barred Thistle Conch, was caught in Bentley Woods in 7.vii.l951 and at Stowmarket on 5.viii.1951. 827A. Phalonia dubitana, Hübn., T h e Doubtful Dwarf Conch ; the 3rd and 4th Suffolk specimens were

MICROLEPIDOPTERA

61

taken when I was visiting Mr. W. S. George at Aldeburgh on 28.viii.1958. They flew to light in his house porch there. 831.

Phtheocroa rugosana, Hübn., The rough-winged Conch, Stowmarket light, l.vii. 1951, a white bryony feeder. 834. Euxanthis angustana, Hübn., The Barred Marble Conch, is quite common on Marjoram, Plantain and Yarrow ; it came to light at Stowmarket on 19, 23,' 30.vii.1951 and to Mr. Chipperfield's headlights on the Breck at Icklingham, 28.vi.1958. 835. E. straminea, Haw., Straw ShortBarred Conch, a knapweed species and common. Add to the eastern records in the Memoir these central ones : Stowmarket, August, 1950 and 19.vi.1951, light. 836. E. zoegana, L., Zoega's Conch, knapweed and scabious species ; now and again at Stowmarket light, as 2.vii.l951.

The forewings can be bright yellow or yellow-ferrugineous. 838. Hysterosia inopiana, Haw., Piain Conch, rather a local species although it feeds on Common Fleabane. Stowmarket light, 30.vii.1951. 840. Capua favillaceana, Hübn., The Ochreous Twist, one at Stowmarket. 844. Cacoecia xylosteana, L., Forked Red-Barred Twist. Taken at Barking lights on 18.vii.1951, and at Stowmarket on 25.vii.1951. Beaten at Framlingham, on 27th June, 1943. 845. C. rosana, L., Stowmarket, 25.vii.1951, lights. 848. Pandemis corylana, Fabr. at Blended MV light on 21, 22.viii.1958, Stowmarket. 849. P. nbeana, Hüb., The Currant Twist, Onehouse, 2, 5.vii.51. 851.

Tortrix loeflingiana, L., an oak feeder—Onehouse, 2.vii.l951 and Stowmarket, l.vii.51. 854. T. paleana, Hübn., on the Breck, 22.vi.1951. 856, T. forster ana, Fabr., Stowmarket, July, 1950.

857. T. costana, Fabr., A marsh species on willow herb. It looks a fenland micro and is one of those that is almost sure to come to the vertical sheet at Wicken, as on 21.vii.1951. Noticed at Stowmarket in August, 1945 and on 4. viii.1951. 860. T. musculana, Hübn., The Afternoon Twist lived up to its name by Aying in bnlliant sunshine in Bentley Woods on 27th May this year.

Stowmarket, 9.vii.l951. 861. Eulia ministrana, L., The Yellowbarred Twist, taken at Framlingham in the 1940's. 865. Cnephasia chrysanthemana, Dup., The Greater Grey Shade, at light btowmarket, 16.vii.1951 and at light there during the previous decade. 873. C. longana, Haw. Beaten from pine at Barton Mills on 1.viii.1951. Mr. George and I took this, the Longwinged Shade, at light on Aldeburgh shingle on 28.viii.1958 Stowmarket light, 17.vii.1951. 875. Isotrias rectifasciana, Haw. i o f r e d E l m S h a d e ) Northfield Wood, Onehouse on the Ist July, 1951 877. Argyrotoxa forskaleana, L., Forskal's Button—Stowmarket. 880. Peronea caudana, Fab., The Notch-wing Button.

1 beat two specimens from the same bunch of willow (now felled) along Combs Lane at Stowmarket on 4.viii.l946. 883. P. sponsana, Fabr. Ashy Button at ivy-blossom and light, Stowmarket. 890. P. contaminana, Hübn. Stowmarket and Framlingham, September, 1948, 19.ix.1950, Stmk., Finborough, 30.viii.

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1953. 891. P. shepherdana, Steph., Shepherd's Button. Only noted in Suffolk at Thetford in 1890 and at Fritton in 1939. I took a specimen at house-lights in Stowmarket, August, 1950.

It feeds on meadowsweet in marshes. 894. P. holmiana, L., T h e Stockholm Button, ll.vii.1951, Stowmarket.

897. Acroclita naevana, Hübn., Marbled Single-dot Shoot, Stowmarket, 17.vii.51 and 4.viii.l954. 899. Evetria buoliana, Schiff., The Gemmed Shoot, beaten from pine at Barton Mills, 22.vii.1951. 921. Notocelia uddmanniana, L., Uddmann's Bell, Stowmarket light, 21, 20.vi.1951. 922. N. rosaecolana, Doubl., Lesser Brown-cloaked Bell, Onehouse, 30.vi.1951..

924. Notocelia aquana, Hübn. (roborana, Treits.), Greater Brown-cloaked Bell comes to light at beginning of August, Stowmarket. 931. Eucosma communana, Haw. (corticana, Hübn.)

T h e Cock's Head Bell in 1937, needed Observation in the West and therefore the following records from the centre form an extension of its known area: Stowmarket, August, 1954, and Onehouse Wood, 13.vii.1951. 932. E. trimaculana, Don., Mitterbach's Bell from Bentley Woodselm, 8.vii.l951. 935.

E.nigromaculana, Haw. The Beautiful Marbled Bell quite often at Stowmarket lights in early August. 939. E. tripunctana, Fab., Three Dotted Rose Bell, Framlingham. 942. E. nisella, Clerck. T h e Poplar Grey Bell at Polstead, 22.vii.1954. 951. E. similana, (bimaculana, Don.), Stroem's Bell—a birch species ; 8.vii.51, Bentley Woods.

955. E.foenella, L., White-foot Bell. One found dead in a lamp bowl at Stowmarket. 961. E. expallidana, Haw., The Pale Drab Bell only goes to show what exciting finds await the microlepidopterist. This moth was only noted in all Suffolk on three occasions : at Tuddenham by Wratislaw about 1870, at Felixstowe

by Gibbs, 1904, at Kessingland, 1948 by Morley. No less than four specimens came to light at Stowmarket during 1951 on July 8, 20, 26, 28. It feeds on a frequent plant, Sonchus, the sowthistle. 962. E. fulvana, Steph., Fulvous Sealed Bell was quite common among the grasses at dusk on 28th June, 1958, at Icklingham. It feeds on Greater Knapweed. 963. E. scopoliana, Haw., Scopoli's Bell at Stowmarket, 26.vii and 11 .viii. 1951.

964. E. cana, Haw., The Hoary Sealed Bell, at Risby, 4.vii.51 and at Stowmarket, 20, 30.vii.1951. 969. Polychrosis fuligana, Schiff., T h e Smoky-barred Marble. Recorded from Ampton in 1913 by Nurse and from Waldringfield in 1930 by Dr. Whittingham. The third Suffolk specimen came to light at Stowmarket on 17.viii.1958. 977. Endothenia ericetana, Westw., T h e Heath Marble at dusk and light, Stowmarket, August, 1950, 25.vii and 1 viii. 1951. 978. E. antiquana, Hübn., T h e Blotched Marble at Stowmarket early August, 1951, 1956. 982. Argyroploce betuletana, Haw., The Birch Marble in Onehouse Wood during

63 1947—two specimens. 985. A. nubiferana, Haw., Cloudy White Marble, Stowmarket, 1954 and in the Barberry Lane by Bury St. Edmunds on 28.vi.1958. 990. A. purpurana, Haw., The 2nd Suffolk specimen of the Purplish Marble came to Stowmarket light on 2.vii.l951. It was a male. The first Suffolkfindwas 50 years before in Bentley Woods. 999. A. striana, Schiff., Straight-barred Marble often at Stowmarket house-lights and at tilley lamp in Onehouse Wood, August, 1948, 12, 30.viii, 4.viii.

1951. It eats the roots of dandelions and should be encouraged !

1004. Hemimene petiverella, L., Petiver's Drill feeds on tansy and was caughtat Felixstoweon 30. vii. 1951. 1006. H. simpliciana, Haw., the Purple-Back Drill feeds on artemisia and was taken at Stowmarketon 19.vii.1951. 1026. Laspeyresia rufillana, Westw.

(Dark Purple-shaded Piercer) from Barton Mills, l.viii.1951.

1027. L. aurana, Fab., Double Orange-spot Piercer sat on Heracleumflowersat Stowmarket in the afternoons of 10, 13.vii.1951.

1030. L. splendana, HĂźbn., The Splendid Piercer feeds on acorns, Spanish chestnuts or occasionally walnuts (L.T. Ford). It came to light at Stowmarket on 27.vii.1951 and seems to be the County's most westerly record. 1032. L. perlepidana, Haw., Beautiful Crescent Piercer swarmed in the morning sunshine on 26.iv.1946 in the meadows in Northfield Wood, Onehouse.

MICROLEPIDOPTERA

There are about 700 species in the super-family Tineides, many of them very small and difficult to determine. 1118.

Stomopteryx vorticella, Scop., The White-streak Sober, new to Suffolk in 1930, was taken at Barking on 17.vii.1951. 1122.

Anacampsis populella, Clerck., The Poplar Sober, came to light at Stowmarket on 12.vii.1951. 1129. Oegoconia quadripuncta, Haw., The Four-spotted Obscure, at Stowmarket light on 25.vii.

1951. 1130. Brachmia gerronella, Zell., The Wicker-work Obscure, Stowmarket light during July, 1951. 1135. Blastodacna hellerella, Dup., The Hawthorn Cosmet, at light in early August 1956, at Stowmarket. 1143. Mompha ochraceella, The Xanthic Cosmet, feeds on the Hairy Willow Herb. The imago came to Stowmarket light on 22.vii.1951.

1146. Oecophora geoffrella, L., Geoffrey's Tubic, is a local species on decayed wood but it looks most handsome. One specimen was beaten from a hedge at Stowmarket on 18.vi.51.

1151. Batia lunaris, Haw., The Lesser Tawny Tubic, distinctly local under dead bark of Apple and Hawthorn. A specimen flew to light at Stowmarket on 4.viii.1954. 1153. Endrosis sarcitrella L., (lactella, Schiff.), The White-shouldered Tubic feeds on dry vegetable matter and the like. The 1937 Memoir supposes it not to be seen after July but it was caught at Stowmarket light on 18.ix.1950 and on 17.vii.1951. 1168. Depressaria heracliana, Deg., The Cow-parsnip. Flat-body, feeds in the stems of Herac-

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leum. It was caught before hibernation at Stowmarket during September, 1951 and after hibernation at Stowmarket on 15.iv.1946.

1174. D. costosa, Haw., The Dingy Straw Flat-body, is common at Stowmarket light from 4.viii to 16.ix and was noted from 19501958. 1176. D. liturella, Schiff., Straw-coloured Flat-body, at Stowmarket, August, 1954. 1179. D. subpropinquella, Staint., Ruddy Ochreous Flat-body, at Stowmarket light, 4, 6.viii.54, 51.

1190. D. alstroemeriana, Clerck, Alstroemer's Flat-body, at Stowmarket light in August, 1956 and on 27.viii.1958. 1272.

Hyponomeuta 20-punctata, Retz., Twenty-spot Ermel at Stowmarket light, 4.viii. 1951. 1273. Ii. plumbella, Schiff., T h e Kent Ermel at light, Stowmarket, 17.viii.1954, 17, 19.viii.1958.

1276. H. cognatella, H端bn., The Allied Ermel fed in 1946, and may still do so, on the hedge covering part of The Front of Framlingham College. A frequent practice was to smuggle live specimens into the dining hall where they were released ; they always flew up to the high ceiling. 1278. Ethmia 10-guttella, H端bn., The Scarce Ermel was recorded from Suffolk by Meyrick and taken by Morley at Thelnetham. I once found a dead specimen in an inverted lamp-bowl at Stowmarket and one came to light at Stowmarket on 17.vii.1951. It is known to feed on Gromwell in a slight web.

1377. Gracillaria alchimiella, Scop., Sweder's Slender, an oak species that came to light at Stowmarket on 19.viii.1958. 1381.

Epermenia chaerophyllella, Goeze., T h e Common Lancewing, on umbels. Came to light during August, 1949.

Cerostoma xylostella, L., 1386, Tooth-streaked Hooked Smudge, a quaintlyshaped honeysuckle moth that came to light at Stowmarket on 28, 30.vii.1951. Ysolophus radiatellus, Don., 1391, T h e BroadStreaked Smudge, is found in its larval S t a t e on oak but imagines were disturbed by day from pine at Thetford on 2.ix.l958, and a few days later from Wych Elm in Northfield Wood, Onehouse.

It is an extremely variable moth. Y. vittellus, L., 1393, T h e Blackbacked Smudge, came to light at Stowmarket in August. 1413.

Tricophaga tapetzella, L., T h e Black-Cloaked Clothes, seen once, at Newton in August, 1953. 1419. Tinea arcella, Fabr., T h e Barred White Clothes, feeds in decayed wood, mainly alder, and in fungi. A broad-barred form of this local species flew to light at Stowmarket on 6.vii.l951. 1430. Acedes ganomella, Tr. (lapella, H端bn.), The Triple-spotted Clothes came to Stowmarket light on 31.vii, l.viii.1951. It can be found feeding in birds' nests.

1431. A. semifulvella, Haw., The fulvous-tipped Clothes feeds on wool and hair in birds' nests (L. T . Ford). I netted a specimen in the entrance to Northfield Wood, Onehouse on lO.vii. 1951.

1452. Nemotois fasciella, Fabr., T h e Copper-japan Long-horn.

Two examples were discovered by day on l7.vii.1951 on heads of angelica at Stowmarket. 1454. N. cupriacella, H端bn., The Copper-gold Long-horn. Two specimens on umbels, 30.vii.1951

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in the village of Onehouse. 1456. N. degeerella, L., Degeer's Long-horn. Like the last two species it is very local but rather more regulär in appearance at Bentley Woods, for instance, where other collectors find it, I believe. Wilfrid George and I found some on angelica at Covehithe, 15.vii.1951. 1463. Nemophora panzeriella, Fabr., (schwarziella, Zell.), Panzer's Long-horn. I took a solitaire by day beside Canada Woods (Lodge Wood), Framlingham, during June, 1947. 1493. Eriocrania rubroaurella, Haw. (purpurella), Haworth's Purple, a metallic scrap that feeds on the birch and flies in sunshine. It was plentiful on the warm afternoon of April 8th, 1946 at Northfield Wood, Onehouse.

I have avoided comment on the extremely frequent species of microlepidoptera that have come my way in Suffolk except where my opiniondiffersfrom the views expressed in the 1937 Lepidoptera Memoir. The above notes are supplementary to those published in the last Transactions because I have tried to keep under separate headings the introduction of NEW county records. Most of the specimens mentioned above were identified for me by the generosity of Mr. S. Wakely of the South London Entomological and Natural History Society. The names are from Heslop's 1947 list. T h e numbers refer to the order followed in the 1937 Lepidoptera Memoir of our society.

ALASDAIR ASTON, 3.x.58.

GALL MIDGE NEW TO

SUFFOLK

B y ALASDAIR ASTON

" You are no doubt very familiar with the grey, hairy knobs that terminate branches of the Ground Ivy, Glechoma hederacea, late in the season. I have tried to determine what these are. A pair of abnormally hairy, rather fleshy leaves enclose some pale, seedlike bodies and I first took the thing to contain cleistogamouslv produced seeds. However, cutting into these ' seeds' I find that they contain a tiny orange-red grub. Can you teil me if these are larvae of some fly ? " wrote our Hon. Secretary on September 15th. I was at a loss to know what to name the Object, partly because the postman had not treated it with due care and partly because it did not correspond to the one gall that I knew about on Ground Ivy, that of Aulax glechomae (Liposthenu! latreillei), a gall wasp.

Miss Willis kindly sent me more ground-ivy galls on October 6th and it was at once apparent that these hairy growths were unlike the reddish galls of the above gall-wasp. She said, " I was at the Fungus Foray at Shrubland Park and saw patches of these all along the edge of the woods. At this late date they are not