The Rannoch Looper (Itame brunneata, Thunb.) and other records of Lepidoptera in Suffolk during 1968

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THE RANNOCH LOOPER (ITAME BRUNNEATA, THUNB.) AND OTHER RECORDS OF LEPIDOPTERA IN SUFFOLK DÜRING 1968 BARON DE WORMS SUFFOLK has once more been favoured with the occurrence of several species of our lepidoptera which have seldom been recorded from the Eastern Counties. Among these was the capture at Norton near Bury St. Edmunds by the Rev. Guy Ford, of the Rannoch Looper (Itame brunneata, Thunb.), an insect which as its names implies, is normally a denizen of the Highlands. But every so often over the years specimens have been noted from the southern half of England as I well remember when I took one in North Kent in daytime in July, 1946. The origin of these isolated examples is presumed to be the Ardennes of Belgium whence they have no doubt migrated.

Another most remarkable capture was that of a female Marsh Moth (Hydrillula palustris, Hübn.) by Mr. C. W. Pierce in Redgrave Fen which is the subject of a species article elsewhere. A specimen of the l i t t l e Nolid, the Scarce Black Arches (Celama trituberculana, Bosc.) was taken again near Thorpeness by Mr. S. Wakely who was in Company with Captain J. Eilerton, R.N. and Colonel A. M. Emmet, while Suffolk also had a V i s i t a t i o n from some of the migrants which appeared very soon after the famous dust storm from the Sahara which descended on south-eastern England early on Ist July. Among these species was the Bordered Straw (Heliothis peltigera, Schiff.) which was taken near Thorpeness and again later in the year by Mr. Chipperfield at Walberswick where he also had the rarer Scarce Bordered Straw {Heliothis armigera, Hübn.) But in many ways the most spectacular records were those of several Camberwell Beauties (Nymphalis antiopa, L.) which have not been in Suffolk for a number of years. There must have been quite an immigration in the late summer as this grand butterfly was recorded from several other parts of the British Isles and probably emanated from Scandinavia. Several lepidopterists living in Suffolk have kindly sent in once more their local records together with those from some of its visitors and they altogether make a very interesting summary. The Rev. Guy Ford who has recently come from Balsham near Cambridge to live at Norton near Bury St. Edmunds has been very assiduous with his moth-trap from the end of 1967. In September of that year he recorded the Pale Oak Eggar (Trichiura crataegi, L.), a species not often seen in the County. In June, 1968, there appeared the Alder Moth (Apatele alni, L.) together with the Flame Wainscot (Meliana flammea, Curtis) which is normally


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