94
Review of the Lepidoptera of Essex for 1999
2062 Spilosoma urticae (Esper) Water Ermine No new sites but it reappeared at Tollesbury, Old
Hall Marsh, 15 June (Chris Tyas); and Dovercourt, Oakley Road 14 June (two) and 16 June (C.
Gibson). 11 DBR, nine of which are post-1990.
Nolidae
2076 Meganola albula (Denis & Schiffermuller) Kent Black Arches Kirby-le-Soken, 6 July. (P.
Bergdahl); Abberton, 24 July (S.D. Wood). 11 DBR, of which six are post-1990.
Noctuidae
2091 Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) Dark Sword-grass Reported from fourteen sites, from 6 April to
4 November, making this the best year since 1995. 46DBR
2113 Spaelotis ravida (Denis & Schiffermuller) Stout Dart Dovercourt, Oakley Road, 9 July (C.
Gibson), and 26 October (P. Smith), the 4th and 5th since 1990. 10DBR
21 9 Peridroma saucia (Hubner) Pearly Underwing Frinton-on-Sea, 26 August (B. Lock); Jaywick,
30 August and 2 September (J. Young); St Osyth, 10 and 11 September (R.W. Arthur);
Dovercourt, 22 September and 13 October (C. Gibson); Brightlingsea, 10 October (D. Scott).
At Curry Farm, Bradwell-on-Sea twenty were reported between 1 June and 8 November (Dewick
2000). 29DBR
2183 Orthosia cruda (Denis & Schiffermuller) Blossom Underwing A surprising burst of records
from eight sites in Essex as listed below:
Date Sites total
31 March Wivenhoe 1
1 April St Osyth (two); Bradwell-on-Sea (two) 4
2 April St Osyth (four); Thundersley; Bradwell-on-Sea (seven) 12
3 April Mashbury; Bradwell-on-Sea 2
4 April Jaywick; Bradwell-on-Sea 2
5 April Bradwell-on-Sea 1
6 April Frinton-on-Sea; Kirby-le-Soken; Bradwell-on-Sea 3
7 April Kirby-le-Soken 1
These are thought to have been migrants, although the species was not previously considered
to have such tendencies (this is now being re-evaluated). It is local species throughout Britain,
resident in Essex only in the Roman River Valley near Colchester, but in the space of a week
appeared at many localities in eastern and southern Britain. Prior to these, there were only four
post-1990 records. 12DBR
2152 Sideridis albicolon (Hiibncr) White Colon Dovercourt, Oakley Road, seven between 18 May
and 17 July (C. Gibson). 9DBR
2165 Aetheria dysodea (Denis & Schiffermuller) Small Ranunculus East Tilbury TQ6979, ova on
Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola on 6 July and four larvae on 24 July (per D.G. Down). The
first Essex record since it became extinct in the county in 1918. Now expected to spread
rapidly.
2194 Mythimna albipuncta (Denis & Schiffermuller) White-point Beaumont-cum-Moze, 1 June,
3 September and two on 5 September (J.B. Fisher); Frinton-on-Sea, 18 August (B. Lock);
Dovercourt, 11 from 11 June and 25 September (C. Gibson); St Osyth, 17 and 25 August. 11
and 15 September (R.W. Arthur); Bradwell St Peters, 22 August (G Smith); Jaywick, 30 and
31 August (J. Young); Howlands Marsh, 25 August (R.W. Arthur). At Curry Farm, Bradwell-
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)