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THE ESSEX NATURALIST
Lepidoptera in East Essex in 1953
BY A. J. DEWICK
Numbers OF lepidoptera in East Essex in 1953 were generally below
those of the previous season, and no unusually rare species were seen.
The first Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui L.) was seen on 21st May, an
earlier date than the average. The species remained uncommon, the greatest
number seen in one day being only four. The last was seen as late as
4th November feeding on decaying apples with the Red Admiral (V.
atalanta L.). The total for the year was only 27, compared with 499 in
1962.
V. atalanta L. was first seen on 19th May. The greatest numbers noted
were 10 on 2nd August, 16 on 20th September, 17 on 26th September, and
10 on 3rd October. Seven were seen on apples as late as 4th November,
and the last on 20th November. The year's total was 155; in 1952 it was 192.
The first Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus Fourc.) was seen on 2nd August,
and the last on 25th October, and the species was noted in a few lucerne
fields only. Thirty-seven specimens were recorded, against 138 for the
previous season. A single male Pale Clouded Yellow (C. hyale L.) was
watched for some time on 15th August flying in a lucerne field near Canew-
don. This was the first specimen noted since 22nd September, 1951.
The Peacock (Vanessa io L.) was in hundreds in lucerne and clover: fields
in early August, being about seven or eight times as numerous as the Small
Tortoiseshell (V. urticae L.). The vast majority, however, must have been
in hibernation or had left the district well before the end of the month.
In the latter half of September, V. urticae was, in its turn, in swarms.
Both species were commoner than in 1952.
Only one Humming-bird Hawk moth (Macroglossa stellatarum L.) was
seen in 1953. This was at Bradwell-on-Sea on 28th June. The previous year
31 were noted between 12th June and 16th September, and a number of
larvae were seen on Galium verum on Bradwell marshes. Only five Convolvu-
lus Hawk moths (Herse convolvuli L.) were recorded in the light-trap.
Eleven were noted in 1952. The number of Silver-Y moths (Plusia gamma
L.) taken in the light-trap and released was 14,247, nearly three times the
catch of 1952, which was 5,657.
The commoner butterflies occurring on the marshes, such as Common
Blue (Polyommatus icarus Bott.), Gatekeeper (Maniola tithonus L.), Essex
Skipper (Thymelicus lineola Ochs.) and Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata
Br. & Grey) do not seem to have been too disastrously affected by the flooding
early in the year, though they were much scarcer than usual. The Grayling
(Eumenis semele L.) still seems to have a precarious foothold in the district.
A specimen was seen on Buddleia blossom in the garden here.