Review of the Lepidoptera of Essex for 1999
potentially rich Foulness Island is largely untouched as yet. Bradwell-on-Sea continues to be worked
by Graham Smith, who has encountered nearly 300 species close to the bird observatory, and a few
important records arereceived from Curry Farm, especially of migrants for which the site is nationally
famous. Sites over 200 species: Thundersley, garden 314; Maldon, garden 288; Bradwell St Peters,
coastal 275.
North-west Essex
This part of Essex is dominated by the garden list of Maitland Emmet, which stands at 995 and is
one of the most extensive in the country. Members of the Bishops Stortford NHS, especially Colin
Plant and Charles Watson, have provided detailed lists from nature reserves and other wild habitats,
and Geoffrey Sell regularly visits Hatfield Forest. Sites over 200 species: Hatfield Forest 369; Rushey
Mead NR 348; Stansted Mountfitchet, garden 323; Elsenham, Eastend Wood 284; Takeley, garden
272; Pelham Field Centre 259; Sawbridgeworth NR 256; Bambers Green, garden 223.
North-east Essex.
Members of the Colchester NHS regularly survey several sites in the area and help to provide us
with a yearly programme of events open to all. Peter Smith does sterling work in the Wrabness
woodlands and Chris Gibson, Paul Bergdahl and Jon Young continue to amass impressive garden
lists. The top natural Essex site is Friday Wood SSSI, near Colchester, which has a list of 809
species and was recently featured in the MoD's Sanctuary magazine. Sites over 200 species: Stour
Wood 383; Markshall Estate 387; St Osyth, garden 350; Copperas Wood 345; Great Holland Pits
NR 308; Earls Colne, garden 278; Langehoe 269; Skipper's Island NR 231; Abberton Reservoir NR
207.
Systematic List
I have added the number of post-1985 entries held on my database for each species (# 'DBR'),
which are in addition to any records held by Maitland as County Microlepidoptera Recorder, and
those cited in SME (Emmet 1981) and LMBE (Emmet, Pyman and Corke 1985). Generally only
scarce species with six site entries or less are mentioned in the list below (compared with ten last
year, a sign of improved levels of recording), or other species of special interest. Nomenclature
follows that given in the recently published Checklist of Lepidoptera recorded from the British Isles,
(J.D. Bradley 1998), but for case of reference I have retained log-book order. All refer to adults and
1999 unless otherwise stated.
Nepticulidae
0103 Stigmella nylandriella (Tengstrom) Little Baddow, Pheasanthouse Wood TL7806 (GA.
Pyman). The only other record T have is Friday Wood, Colchester in 1980. 2DBR
Incurvariidae
0144 Nemophora fasciella (Fabricius) Jaywick TM 1312, two to three on Ballota, nigra, 27 June (J.
Young). Colchester (1995) and East Ham (1982 - 1990) are other localities. 3DBR
0151 Adela croesella (Scopoli) Coggeshall, Markshall Wood, 'hundreds' around Small-leaved Lime
on 28 May and 3 June at TL8426 (N. Cummings, l.C. Rose and C. Gibson). An attractive long-
horn moth which is easily overlooked. Has also been found around garden privet. 5DBR
Limacodidae
0173 Apoda limacodes (Hulhagel) Festoon Maldon TL8505, 23 July (S.D. Wood). First record
from this area for over 100 years. The closest known colony is at Pods Wood, Tiptree. 9DBR
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)