Suffolk Lepidoptera in 1979

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SUFFOLK LEPIDOPTERA IN 1979 H . E . CHIPPERFIELD

With the death of Baron Charles de Worms in October the Society has lost one of its oldest members. He died a few days before the annual exhibition of the British Entomological and Natural History Society, of which he was a prominent member and past president. He was also, until 1977, entomological recorder of this society and one of the best-known lepidopterists in the British Isles. Düring the second world war he was engaged on secret scientific work on behalf of the government. Very cold weather prevailed until the end öf February and the first of the spring moths to appear at Walberswick was an Apocheima pilosaria D. & S. pale brindled beauty on 2nd March and a melanic form of the same moth on 12th together with a hibernated Acleris cristana D. & S. the white-tufted button. This latter species, a tortrix, is local and was reckoned to be near the north-east limit of its ränge by Claude Morley when he recorded it as 'not noted from near Ipswich since about 1890 (Miller)' in 1937. The season continued to be a late one with the three common white butterflies putting in an appearance between 1 Ith April and mid-May, and Anthocharis cardamines Linn, the orange-tip on 16th May at Walberswick, although it was seen earlier inland. On 14th May I saw my first Celastrina argiolus Linn, holly blue. This butterfly has made a spectacular come-back after several lean years, and was quite common in its second brood in August. All the usual hawk moths and prominents were seen during May and June and at a meeting of the British Entomological and Natural History Society which I led in the Southwold and Walberswick area on 30th June a total of 88 species of moths was recorded. The party split into three sections, some members operating on the Southwold sandhills, others on Dunwich beach adjoining the marshes and the rest on the edge of Dunwich forest. The more interesting species were Sideridis albicolon Hübn. white colon, Mythimna litoralis Curt. shore wainscot and Photedes elymi Treit. lyme grass wainscot at Southwold, Spilosoma urticae Esp. water ermine, Lacanobia suasa D. & S. dog's tooth, Mythimna pudorina D. & S. striped wainscot and Chilodes maritima Tausch, silky wainscot at Dunwich beach and Hyloicus pinastri Linn, pine hawkmoth, Ptilodontella cucullina D. & S. maple prominent, Diacrisia sannio Linn, clouded buff and Perconia strigillaria Hübn. grass wave at Dunwich forest. Eupithecia pygmaeata Hübn. the marsh pug was Aying in very gusty weather at the Redgrave/Lopham Fen Reserve of the Suffolk Trust for Nature Conservation on 13th June and Cybosia mesomella Linn, four-dotted footman was seen on Westleton Heath on lOth July, when several fresh male Plebejus argus Linn, silver-studded blue butterflies were also on the wing. Two small larvae of Hemaris fuciformis Linn, the broad-bordered bee hawkmoth were found on the low-growing honeysuckle and a reddish-brown adder was disturbed among the heather. Throughout July and August the usual summer species of night-flying Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc.

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Suffolk Lepidoptera in 1979 by Suffolk Naturalists' Society - Issuu