SUFFOLK LEPIDOPTERA IN 1968 H . E . CHIPPERFIELD U N L I K E the previous year, January, 1968, was very cold and emergence of the early spring moths was delayed. However by 7th February the Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pedaria, Fabr.) had made its appearance at house lights. On 15th March a specimen of the Mediterranean Flour Moth (Anagasta kuehniella, Zell.) emerged from some flour found in an old jar. These moths are sometimes a nuisance in flour mills where their larvae cause the chutes to clog with the webs which they spin. By the end of March the Early Grey Moth (Xylocampa areola, Esp.) and the Mottled Grey Carpet (Colostygia multistrigaria, Haw.) were emerging and were followed by the 'Quaker' tribe. DĂźring April visitors to my moth-trap included the Blossom Underwing (<Orthosia miniosa, Schiff.), Northern Drab (Orthosia advena, Schiff.), and the Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea, Schiff.).
The Holly Blue Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus, Linn.) was Aying at Walberswick on 30th April and several were seen there during May, in which month also one was seen at Great Glemham by Mrs. J. O. Paternoster. This little butterfly is well known for its fluctuations in numbers from one season to another, and has been rather scarce in Suffolk for some years. The Orange-tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines, Linn.) was quite numerous at Great Glemham on 24th May and larvae of the Angelica Flat-body Moth {Agonopterix angelicella, HĂźbn.) were common in bunched-up leaves of Angelica in the woods there on the same day. These subsequently produced the bright orange imagines at the end of June. Very few moths were attracted to the Society's mercury vapour light when Messrs. C. W. Pierce, Geoffrey Burton, George Baker, and I visited the Redgrave and Lopham Fen Reserve on 8th June. Walking round Lopham Little Fen before we began Operations revealed that there had been a fire which had completely destroyed the mature growth of Petty Whin. Although the plants were beginnmg to sprout again the colony of the Petty-Whin Case Moth (Coleophora genistae, Staint.) had evidently disappearcd. It was hoped that we should confirm whether a much rarer species, the Slate Sober (Stomopteryx albipalpella, H.-S.) occurred in the'fen. These species both have the same larval pabulum, and larvae were thought to have been found there in 1967. It proved to be a good year for the Elephant Hawk Moth (Deilephtla elpenor, Linn.) and the Birds-wing Moth (Dypterygia scabriuscula, Linn.), both species being frequent visitors to the light trap. On 16th June, the Alder Moth (Apatele alni, Linn.) was a welcome visitor. Specimens of the pyralid moth the