Some Suffolk Lepidoptera Records for 1965

SOME

SUFFOLK

LEPIDOPTERA

RECORDS

FOR

1965

BARON DE WORMS

As usual several collectors visited the Suffolk coast, mainly the Southwold and Walberswick areas, during the summer months of 1965.

Mr. H. E. Chipperfield has embodied in his article the more outstanding captures, especially those of Mr. E. C. PelhamClinton and of Mr. Austin Richardson. However, I have thought it of special interest to refer to some of the species in the lists sent in by various visitors.

Mr. Robin Mere who paid two visits to the Suffolk coast in July, the second one with Mr. J. L. Messenger, reports that at Aldeburgh he took the Pyrales the Marbled-Yellow Straw Pearl (.Evergestis extimalis, Hübn.) and the Gigantic Water-Veneer (Schoenobius gigantellus, Schiff.), neither species ever being very numerous in the county. Of the Microlepidoptera he obtained the White-backed Marble (Argyroploce salicella, Linn.) and Woeber's Piercer (Laspeyresia zvoeberiana, Schiff.). At Thorpeness among the more notable macros were the Maple Prominent (.Lophopteryx cucullina, Schiff.), the Marbled Clover (Heliothis viriplaca, Hufn.), a good many of the normal form of the Silky Wainscot (Chilodes maritima, Treits.), the White Colon (Heliophobus albicolon, Hübn.), while the geometers included the Tawny Wave (Scopula rubiginata, Hufn.) of which only very few examples have been seen in this coastal area in recent years, as it is always associated with the Breck Sand in the western part of the county.

Once more the Pale Ochraceous Wave (Sterrha ochrata, Scop.) was particularly plentiful along the sandhills. Among the smaller lepidoptera from this locality Mr. Mere recorded the Lesser Wainscot Flat-body (Depressaria cliaerophylli, Zell.), the Fenland Obscure (Brachmia inornatella, Dougl.), the Large Marsh Neb (Aristotelia palustrella, Dougl.), the Smoky Darkmarbled (Lobesia fuligana, Haworth) and the very interesting Crambid, the Sandhill Grass-Veneer (Platytes alpinellus, Hübn.) mentioned by Barrett (x. 74) and B. Beirne (1952) from the Yarmouth area, but not from Suffolk at all, thoueh Claude Morley in his 1937 Memoir of the Lepidoptera of the county quotes this species from Hemley in 1903, from Lowestoft in 1922 and Sutton Heath in 1934. These insects are among a total of almost a hundred species of Pyralidae, Tortrices, and other families of the Micros recorded in four days, lOth to 13th July

by Mr. Mere and Mr. Pelham-Clinton.

Once more Mr. C. W. Pierce has submitted a most interesting and comprehensive list of his observations and records of lepidoptera

166 Transactions of the Suffolk Naturalists',

Vol. 13, Part 3

in the vicinity of Needham Market during 1965. These comprise no less than twenty-five species he has not Seen there before.

These include the Small Elephant Hawk (Deilephila porcellus, Linn.), the Humming-bird Hawk (Macroglossa stellatarum, Linn.), the Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis, Linn.), the White Satin (Leucoma salicis, Linn.), seven of the Pale Oak Eggar (Trichiura crataegi, Linn.), the Scarce Green Silver Lines (Pseudoips bicolorana, Fuessl.), the Butterbur (Hydraecia petasitis, Doubleday), one of which was taken at light and three others bred from a local growth of the foodplant. Other novelties for the locality were the Deep-brown Dart (Aporophyla lutulenta, Borkh.), several of the Mullein Moth (Cucullia verbasci, Linn.), bred from larvae taken in his garden, also the Buttoned Snout (Hypena rostralis, Linn.), two of the Lesser Cream Wave (Scopula immutata, Linn.), a single Seraphim (Lobophora halterata, Hufn.), the Streamer (Anticlea derivata, Schiff.), the Small Yellow Wave (Hydrelia flammeolaria, Hufn.), the Twin-spot Carpet (Colostygia didymata, Linn.), four of the Netted Pug (Eupithecia venosata, Fab.), three of the White-spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria, H.-S.), two of the Triple-spotted Pug (Eupithecia trisignaria, H.-S.), a single Bordered Beauty (Epione repandaria, Hufn.), but the most striking new capture and record was that of the HĂśrnet Clearwing of the Poplar (Sesia apiformis, Clerck) of which Mr. Pierce observed no less than twenty-two between 27th June and 5th August emerged on the trunks of some thirty-two poplars, always appearing on them between 10 a.m. and noon (Vide Ent. Record 77 : 221).

Other captures at Needham Market of particular note included as many as twenty in one night of the Varied Coronet (Hadena compta, Borkh.), also the Läppet (Gastropacha quercifolia, Linn.), which was common as also was the Sycamore (Apatele aceris, Linn.). Two other quite numerous species there were the Double Dart (Graphiphora augur, Fab.) and the Pale Shining Brown (Polia nitens, Haworth). That attractive insect which sits about by day, the Dusky Sallow (Eremobia ochroleuca, Esp.) was to be seen in numbers up tili the middle of September when the Dusky Lemon Sallow (Cirrhia gilvago, Esp.) appeared quite commonly.

T h e autumn also saw the reappearance in fair numbers of the Large Thorn (Ennomos autumnaria, Wemb.), as many as fourteen being noted between 20th and 29th September. T h e Orange Moth (Angerona prunaria, Linn.) appeared in mid-August at his home, a species that Claude Morley describes as of sporadic occurrence in the County, in other parts of which Mr. Pierce made some interesting captures. These include the Royal Mantle (Euphyia cuculata, Hufn.) at Icklingham on 19th July, the Purplebarred Gold (Sterrha muricata, Hufn.) at Redgrave Fen on 21 st July, a species also apparently very scarce in Suffolk. The Bar-

167 berry Carpet (Coenotephria berberata, Schiff.) reappeared on 6th June at its usual haunts on the outskirts of Bury together with the Scarce Tissue (Calocalpe cervinalis, Scop.).

SUFFOLK LEPIDOPTERA RECORDS

At Thorpeness in early August Mr. Austin Richardson reports several species of interest besides the Speckled Footman (Coscinia cribraria, Linn.) which has been specialy reviewed elsewhere.

Some of the moths include the Ground Lackey (Malacosoma castrensis, Linn.), the Crescent Striped (Apamea oblonga, Haworth), the Starwort Shark (Cucullia asteris, Schiff.), the Water Ermine (.Spilosoma urticae, Esp.) and the Pale Ochraceous Wave (Sterrha ochrata, Scop.) in plenty on the local sandhils, where he also took the Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola, Ochs.) which is annually being discovered in new localities in the eastern counties.

For my own part my only acquaintance with Suffolk during 1965 was on 12th June when I was pleased to see the Grey Carpet (.Lithostege griseata, Schiff.) in the Mildenhall area.