110 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
we released the butterflies as soon as they were ready. Brimstone at rest
at night are worth looking at with a bright torch. The wings are tightly
closed and the insect takes up an erect stance. Shine the torch from the
far side of the wings and one can see that the body of the insect is held in
a perpendicular position with the wings enveloping it, so that no mauraud-
ing insect can get at the body without first biting through the wing. 25th.
Peacocks abundant, several Bed Admirals and odd Commas. A countryman
friend of mine saw a Camberwell Beauty sunning itself on a laurel leaf
at Colchester today. He is quite certain that it was this butterfly, and I
know that he is reliable. White Admirals and odd Silver-washed Fritillaries
still to be seen in the woods. A Humming-bird Hawkmoth laying eggs on
my patch of Lady's Bedstraw. The egg is very large for so small an
insect.
August. 1st. Found several larvae of the last-mentioned moth and am
keeping them safely for later release. These larvae rest head downwards
on stalks at night. 13th. First Convolvulus Hawkmoth at tobacco flowers
tonight. The Copper Underwing is one of the commonest moths in
evidence. 15th. One convolvuli again tonight. 19th. Odd Humming-bird
Hawks passing through—they visit flowers and then fly off. 20th. Two
more Humming-bird Hawks at valerian. 25th. A Death's Head pupa sent
me from Burnham.
September. 1st. Large numbers of Angle Shades and one Dark Crimson
Underwing moth on rotting greengages at night. The latter moth is
spreading in Essex. 3rd. Many Silver Y moths at valerian. Cold, un-
seasonable weather. A Bed Underwing at rest on a shed did not move for
four days. 11th. A nice warm day for a change, and several Bed Admirals
were seen. 22nd. A lovely day and many butterflies about. Seven Commas
on rotting plums.
October. 5th. Another of the few lovely days. Two Bed Admirals and
odd Whites. 24th. A few Small Coppers in rough places.
To sum up. White Admirals, Silver-washed and Pearl-bordered
Fritillaries, White-letter and Green Hairstreaks all did well. High Brown
Fritillaries were scarce. From September onwards was a complete flop
due to the worst autumn for years. Clouded Yellows just had not a decent
chance and everything else was damped and frozen out. What effect it
will have on next year remains to be seen.
Butterflies in the Brentwood Area in 1952.—I am not able to make a full
report of the butterflies of the Brentwood district in 1952, but I think that
members may be interested in the following very brief notes on a few
species.
Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Argynnis euphrosyne (L.)) and Small Pearl-
bordered Fritillary (A. selene (Schiff.)) were very common in their usual
localities. Silver-washed Fritillary (A. paphia (L.)) has only recently
reappeared in this district; it was commoner this year than ever before.
The Dark Green Fritillary (A. aglaia (L.)) has never been a common
insect here, but this year it was not at all uncommon in certain areas.
High Brown Fritillary (A. Cydippe (L.)); abundant as usual. White
Admiral (Limenitis camilla (L.)): plentiful. Comma (Polygonia c-album
(L.)): not, I think, so plentiful as it has been.
Mr. A. J. Merchant, of Upminster, found a brood of Peacock butterfly
(Nymphalis io (L.)) larvae at Upminster in early September, 1952. They
were exhibited at the South London Society's exhibition on 25 October, by
which date many had pupated. In due course all (except one or two which
had been injured) produced imagines differing in no respect from normal
except that they were rather small. South records an instance of larva? of
this species in September, but I know of no other case.