Agrotis ripae (Hb.) Sand Dart
p56. Resident, very local; virtually confined to the north-east coast, where it is locally common. 90
Bradwell-on-Sea, 2 Aug. 1975 (SFJD).
Actinotia polyodon (Cl.) Purple Cloud
p55. Migrant, very rare; two records only (Bradwell-on-Sea, 1954 and 1960) *.
Axylia putris (Linn.) The Flame
p59. Resident, widespread and common.
Ochropleura praecox (Linn.) (Actebia praecox) Portland Moth
pl33. Vagrant or migrant, very rare. 90 Bradwell-on-Sea, 9 Aug. 1978, 8 Aug. 1982 (AJD), the
only records this century (see Guide).
Ochropleura plecta (Linn.)
p58. Resident, widespread and common.
Flame Shoulder
Rhyacia simulans (Hufn.) Dotted Rustic
p57. Recent colonist, already widespread. Recorded only twice (in 1875 and 1974, *) before 1978.
The latter year produced records often individuals, all in the southern half of the County, details of
nine of which have already been published (Chalmers-Hunt, 1978); the tenth was at 90 Bradwell-on-
Sea, 23 Aug. (AJD). Subsequently the species has spread phenomenally, and it was common in some
districts in 1982, although markedly less numerous in 1983. The map shows that it has already been
recorded in 39 squares spread over the County.
Noctua pronuba Linn.
Large Yellow Underwing
p61. Resident, widespread and very common; abundant in some years.
Noctua orbona (Hufn.) (Euschesis orbona) Lunar Yellow Underwing
p60. ?Resident, very local and now rare, but possibly attempting to re-establish itself. 48 Plaistow,
30 Aug. 1978 (CWP), the first Essex record since 1960 (see Guide); 70 Danbury Ridge, 1983
(GAP); 88 Westcliff-on-Sea, 1983 (JB); 90 Bradwell-on-Sea, two, 1982 (AJD). According to the
Guide, this species was fairly plentiful at Dovercourt in 1911 (Mathew, 1912b), but there seems little
doubt that the record relates to is. comes (below) which used to be called orbona , a name which was
still in currency at the time. Post-1960 dots for squares 50 and 60 and a pre-1960 open circle for
square 93 on map 108 in MBGBI.9 cannot be substantiated.
Noctua comes (Hb.) (Euschesis comes)
p60. Resident, widespread and common or very common.
Lesser Yellow Underwing
88