Lysandra bellargus (Rott.) Adonis Blue
pl32. No recent record (extinct). Taken once or twice near Saffron Walden in the last
century *.
Cyaniris semiargus (Rott.) Mazarine Blue
pl32. No recent record (extinct). Taken near Saffron Walden in the last century *.
Celastrina argiolus (Linn.) Holly Blue
p36. Resident, widespread and periodically locally common. Numbers of this species are very
erratic, and although it is widely distributed it is little in evidence in some years. It was locally quite
common from 1967-71 but was scarce during the ensuing three years *. It has been well represented
since 1975 and was unusually numerous in 1979 and 1985.
NEMEOBIIDAE
In some respects this family closely resembles the Lycaenidae, but the males' forelegs are non-
functional. There is only one British species, the larva of which feeds on Primula It overwinters as a
pupa attached to its larval foodplant.
Hamearis lucina (Linn.) Duke of Burgundy Fritillary
pl31. No recent record. Formerly a local resident which survived in the eastern half of the
county until the first quarter of the present century and was last seen, near Rochford, in 1924 *.
NYMPHALIDAE
The largest of all the families of butterflies contains such conspicuously coloured insects as the
tortoiseshells, the other vanessids and the fritillaries. The forelegs of the adults are non-functional and
the antennae clearly knobbed. The larvae are generally spiny, the pupae also have projections and are
suspended from their cremaster without the support of a girdle. Most species have monophagous
larvae although a few have alternative foodplants. The vanessid species all hibernate as adults and
most feed, as larvae, on nettles. The fritillaries overwinter as larvae (except the high brown fritillary
which remains in the egg stage until spring) and most species feed on violets. The other woodland
specialists (purple emperor and white admiral) feed on sallowand honeysuckle respectively and
overwinter as larvae. There are thirteen resident species in Britain all of which once bred in Essex but
only four are still certain residents in the county - although there are several migrant and vagrant
species.
46