(b). Imported species
Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Prodenia litura Fabr.) Mediterranean Brocade
p72. Larvae of this tropical and subtropical species were found in greenhouses at Nazeing in 1963
(Haggett, 1968: 61).
Spodoptera eridania (Stoll)
First recorded in Britain in 1977 when, at a plant nursery at Clacton-on-Sea, larvae were found on
pot-plants in April and a single larva on tomato in July; in May imagines were recovered from light-
traps (Seymour, 1978).
ADDITIONS TO THE SMALLER MOTHS OF ESSEX
by A.M.Emmet
Introduction
Since the publication in 1981 of The smaller moths of Essex (hereafter referred to as SME), the
incidence of recording has possibly increased, since the county has now two other resident
microlepidopterists, the Rev. D.J.L. Agassiz of Grays and C.W. Plant of the Passmore Edwards
Museum. In the three years that have elapsed, 25 species have been added to the county list and two
deleted, bringing the total of Essex Microlepidoptera to 1,075. A number of new vice-county records
have been made and up-to-date records for species marked NRR(no recent record) in SME have been
provided. In all there are over 2,600 new 10 km square records, an average of nearly 2.5 per species.
It is impossible to include all these new records. A species has been selected for inclusion for one of
the following reasons.
1). It is new to Essex or one of the vice-counties,
2). It had not been recorded from Essex or one of the vice-counties since 1959.
3). The additional records alter the pattern of its distribution significantly.
4). It is a rare species in the county, in most cases not recorded more than twice since 1959.
Distribution maps are provided only for species new to Essex. For these species the format follows
that of SME, the name being followed by the status (e.g. 'Resident'), the earliest and latest years in
which the records have been made, the foodplant and a brief summary of its distribution and
abundance. The records follow, the earliest (where there is more than one) being marked with an
asterisk. For other species, the page on which they appear in SME is given, followed by the reason for
their inclusion; however, all new records are given, not just the one giving rise to the entry.
Micropterix tunbergella (Fabr.)
p26. One previous recent record. VC19. 92 Friday Woods, 1984 (JY); 13 Stour Wood
(KH).
Micropterix aureatella (Scop.)
p26. The source of the record in Heath et al. (1976:153) is still untraced and the species should
therefore be deleted from the Essex list
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