Review of the Lepidoptera of Essex for the year 2002
Noctuidae
2131 Square-spotted Clay Xestia rhomboidea Esp. Freewood, two adults feeding on teasel flowers,
9 August (JC, .TS); Langley Upper Green, 14 August (EP). These bring the total to thirteen adults
from this 10km square since 2001
2152 White Colon Sideridis albicolon (Hub) Little Oakley, 22 June (GS); Wix (CB, JR)
2165 Small Ranunculus Hecatera dysodea Basildon, 7 and 26 July (PH)
2195 Delicate Mythimna vitellina (Hub) Jaywick, 3 October (JY)
2202 L-album Wainscot Mythimna l-album (L.) St Osyth, 4 and 26 September (RA); Jaywick, 26
September & 3 October (JY)
2203 White-speck Mythimna unipuncta (Haw.) St Osyth, 3 October (RA); Dovercourt, 10 and 11
October (CG)
2223 Toadflax Brocade Calophasia lunula (Hum.) Dovercourt, 28 and 30 July (DMA, PS). Second
and third from site, the first being on 30 May 2001. There are also two records from nearby Chris
Gibson's garden, on 30 May 2000 and 26 May 2001
2260 Dotted Chestnut Conistra rubiginea (D.& S.) New to Essex. Great Dunmow, 12 March
(DP); North Chingford, 18 April (BP), new to ve 18
2275 Dusky-lemon Sallow Xanthia gilvago (D.& S.) New sites at Black Notley (GB), Langenhoe
(HO), Langley, Upper Green (EP); Rayleigh (GB) and Stanway (DO)
2276 Pale-lemon Sallow Xanthia ocellaris (Bork.) Epping Forest, Oak Hill Farm, 3 October (TG,
DP)
2295 Marbled Green Cryphia muralis (Forst.) Frinton-on-Sea, 24 July (BL); Walton-on-the-
Naze, 4 August (PS); St Osyth, 13 August (RA); Kirby-le-Soken, 17 August (PB); Dovercourt, 18
August & 11 September (CG). There is also the possibility of a population in the Langley Upper
Green area, with two reported on 24 July and 6 August by an experienced observer (EP)
2317 White-spotted Pinion Cosmia diffinis (L.) Chalkney Wood, Earls Colne, 17 August (DW,
JF, IR); Langenhoe, 19 August (HO, IR, JF). These probably point to previously unknown colonies
and their discovery was one of the highlights of the year. Both sites will be investigated this year to
try and find evidence of larvae.
2403 Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera (D.& S.) St Osyth, 7 June & 31 August (RA); Dovercourt,
five between 18 and 27 June, and 5 September (CG); Chingford, 20 June (RC); Dovercourt, Oakley
Road, 24 June (PS); Jaywick, 27 June (JY); EWT Abbotts Hall, 27 June (GC); Lawford, 5 July
(AL); Loughton, 21 August (RB); Little Oakley, 31 August (GS); Boreham, 7 September, two (GE)
2412 Silver Hook Deltote uncula (Clerk) EWT Abbotts Hall, 17 June (GC, NH). Also occurred
on 16 August 2001. First records since 195S, so there may be a breeding colony in the vicinity
2428 Golden Twin-spot Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esp.) Kirby-le-Soken, 3 September (PB); Wix,
11 October (CB, JR). Eighth and ninth post-1990 sites
2432 Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni (Hub) St Osyth, Daltes Lane, 28 August (RA); Langley Upper
Green, 21 October (EP). Third and fourth post-1990 sites
2480 Buttoned Snout Hypena rostralis (L.) New sites at Boreham, 4 April (GE), and East Ham,
larvae, 25 June (HV). Great Horkesley (BH), recorded most years from c.1991 to 2002 at TL9632,
there being a large growth of Hop Humulus lupulus nearby. A survey by Robin Field and Butterfly
Conservation revealed larvae at forty-three sites across Essex, around 90% of those sampled
2475 Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria (L.) Epping, Oak Hill Farm, 23 July (DP, TG); St
Osyth, Daltes Lane, 1 August (RA); North Chingford, three in August (BP)
Recorders
Adams, N., Albertini, M., Allen, D., Anthoney. D.M., Armitage, M., Bailey, G, Balchin, C.S.,
Barfoot, R., Bowdrey, J.P., Brown, G, Catchpole, G, Chainey, J., Clifton, J., Cook, A., Cope, R.,
Deane, A., Dobson, J., Doughty, B., Down, D.C, Dutton, D., Ekins, G, Field, R., Firmin, J., Fisher,
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 19 (2003)
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