A REVIEW OF BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA FOR 1968 BARON DE W O R M S
a mild Start to the year a bleak and unpropitious spell set in during February which put the season well back and it was not tili towards the end of March that the sallow blossom was fully out. T h e last few days of the month brought some very spring-like and warm temperatures which tempted out the hibernating butterflies in plenty, especially the Commas, the Peacocks, and the Small Tortoiseshells. A Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros Linn.) was seen on the outskirts of the New Forest at this time. It is well-known that this fine insect has become very scarce in recent years, even in the Eastern Counties, once its stronghold. Early April saw the appearance of the first Whites, but the Orangetip (Anthocharis cardamines Linn.) was not out tili nearly the end of April when the Scarce Prominent (Odontosia carmelita Esp.) was recorded fairly commonly in the south of England. But the season met with a rude shock with one of the coldest months of May this Century. The two smaller Fritillaries, the Pearlbordered (Clossiana euphrosyne Linn.) and the Small Pearlbordered (C. selene Schiff.) only began to emerge at the end of May, a very late date for the former butterfly. AFTER
It was at this period that several collectors visited the Welsh locality for the Rosy Marsh Moth (Coenophila subrosea Stephens) where the handsome blue and green larva was found feeding in some numbers after dark on bog-myrtle. From them some fine specimens were bred out in August when the wild imagines of this species appeared at light even more abundantly than in 1967. June was a much better month with plenty of sunshine during the first half, though the season was as yet devoid of migrants. But a remarkable change started during the third week of June. Insects came in unusually large numbers to light and among these were the Water Ermine (Spilosoma urticae Esp.) in Kent and Sussex, the Alder Kitten (Harpyia bicuspis Borkh.) in parts of South Wales, the Alder Moth (Apatele alni Linn.) in the Wye Valley district and the Scarce Merveille-du-Jour (Moma alpium Osbeck) in East Kent. This local abundance was the prelude of better things to come. As will be well remembered, July opened with one of the hottest days of recent years with the thermometer at over 90°F. in the shade. Early that morning took place an amazing phenomenon, a freak rainstorm bringing with it a peculiar yellow dust which covered everything over a wide area in southern and eastern England. That very night some of the commoner migrant species of moths were recorded at light-traps and it was presumed they had been carried by high wind currents possibly all the way from