LEPIDOPTERA IN SOUTH-EAST ESSEX, 1958
209
this is the second Essex record, and the moth is usually supposed only
to occur in warehouses. Of course it may have come from a neighbour-
ing house.
Finally, and perhaps strangest of all, on August 10th I took a perfect
male Phycita semirubella Scop. (Rosy Knot-horn) in the trap and on
the same night Mr. A. J. Dewick took a damaged one at Bradwell.
This moth has only once previously been recorded for Essex, at Night-
ingale Hall, near Halstead, by Mr. S. R. Bentall in 1872. It is a moth
of pure chalk, during the thirty years I collected in Kent I never found
it except on the chalk downs, where it was often common. On any place
where there was a covering of even a foot of soil over the chalk it was
absent. I have no doubt these two specimens formed part of a flight
from the North Downs in the Luddesdown-Cuxton area, where it is
locally common. The moth has never been known to migrate, but the
revelations of the M.V. moth trap are beginning to make me doubt if
any moths, except apterous ones, do not migrate at times.
Notes on the Lepidoptera of
East Essex, 1958
BY A. J. DEWICK
A much better year, in spite of very poor weather for much of the
summer. It seems surprising after 12 years of operation that eight
new species should be recorded by the light-trap. They were Eilema
pygmaeola Dbld. (August 20th), Hadena compta Fabr. (July 13th),
Hapalotis venustula Hubn. (July 12th and 16th), Plusia ni Hubn. (August
7th, 9th, 11th and 15th). Sterrha rusticata Schf. (August 15th), Calocalpe
undulata L. (July 11th), Selenia tetralunaria Hubn. (July 27th), and the
Tortricid Eulia formosana Hubn. (August 4th). Pygmaeola, ni and
formosana may be new records for Essex.
The first Vanessa cardui L. was seen on May 11th; the most in one
day being 12 on June 14th. Locally bred specimens emerged from
July 19th and the last individual was seen on October 5th. The year's
total of 95 was the best since 1952.
V. atalanta L. was first seen on May 14th; fresh specimens emerged
from July 24th and the last was seen on October 31st flying strongly
to the south. The biggest daily totals were 52 on buddleia on August
21st; 45, all seen within 90 minutes, flying steadily south against light
S.W. wind on August 30th, no doubt an example of the return migra-
tion; and 39 on buddleia on September 1st. The year's total was 266,
which is above average.
Only four Colias croceus Fourc. were seen, the first on June 14th
was flying north along the sea wall between the Crouch and the Black-
water. Further single specimens were seen on July 19th, August 30th
and September 6th.