will migrate and establish, extending a natural process. However, the long-distance
importation of species from other temperate zones may threaten the local fauna. This is
evidenced by the importation of the Japanese multivariate lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
into America where it has become the most common ladybird in southern and western
USA (and is still spreading) often producing such large numbers as to become something
of a pest. Despite the US experience importation of this Japanese species was allowed
in some European countries in the belief that it would not survive outside of greenhouses.
It is now found widely in parks, gardens and natural areas of many towns in NW Europe
We might expect to see it soon but its identification may be problematic: the figures
(Plates 8 & 9) from an aggregation in Ohio demonstrate two of the variants. It 'normally
has nineteen large spots but, as one of its common names implies (it also has many other
names), it has very variable patterning - perhaps more so than our 2- and 10-spot Adalia
species. It is perhaps most likely to be confused with our 10-spot since it has pale legs
and prominent markings on the forebody (although the pattern differs from most 10-
spots: having been likened to 'false eyes'). There are many web-sites showing variants
(e.g. www.ent.orst.edu/urban/Harmonia.html and www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/
predators/harmonia.html). It would be good if any very unusual ladybirds could be sent
to me or taken to your neighbourhood entomologist!
More salty tales from the A12
Graham Smith 48 The Meads, Ingatestone CM4 OAE
I was interested to read Ken Adam's article, 'Plenty of salt and now some pepper', in the
September 2003 issue of the Newsletter. For the past few years I have regularly scanned
the banks of the A12, where it by-passes Ingatestone, in the hope of adding new species
to my parish flora. Dittander Lepidium latifolium, which Ken has found to be abundant
along the northern stretches of the A12 and M25, still eludes me; it obviously hasn,t
reached this far south yet - either that or I need to make more careful scrutiny of the
Horse Radish Armoracia rusticana which flourishes on the roadside verges of the A12/
B1002 junction at Margaretting and elsewhere. As for Alexanders Smyrnium olusatrum;
I have seen it on the Brentwood by-pass but my only record for this parish concerns a
single plant on an area of waste ground that doubles up as a car park. Sea Fern Grass
Catapodium marinum, though, that's a tricky one! How do you identify that from a car?
During work for the BSBI Atlas I did venture on to the A12 on my bike at around four
o'clock one Sunday morning, thinking it would be relatively safe at that hour. How
wrong I was! Most people using the A12 at mat time are returning home from the excesses
of the night before and with an open road before them they are not at their most attentive.
One fellow came past me at around one hundred miles an hour with the fingers of one
hand idly tapping the steering-wheel in tune to music on the radio and the fingers on the
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 44, May 2004
13