1899-1 



257 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM ULSTER 

 by rev- w. f. johnson, m.a., f-e-s. 



Lepidoptera. 



The past summer was a remarkably fine one, and as a result 

 we have had an invasion of migratory lepidoptera. Those 

 most noticed are the Clouded Yellow (Colias edusa) and the 

 Humming-bird Moth {Macroglossa stellataruni)> both of which 

 seem to have spread themselves widely over the country. It 

 is somewhat remarkable that the Painted Lady (Pyrantels 

 cardui), which is a great wanderer, does not appear to have 

 been noticed except in south-west Cork, as recounted in Mr. 

 J. J. Wolfe's very interesting paper (ante p. 218). I observed 

 a single specimen between Poyntzpass and Scarva on August 

 23rd. I did not capture it, as I had no net with me. It would 

 be interesting to know whether any of the brood reared in 

 Cork were noticed elsewhere, as evidently from Mr. Wolfe's 

 account they dispersed themselves. 



I noticed a good man}'- Red Admirals (Pyramcis atalanta) in 

 my garden and round the neighbourhood, and I saw one on 

 the wing as late as October 1. 



The Small Tortoiseshell ( Vanessa urticci) was of course 

 abundant. The autumn brood very soon go into hybernation ; 

 I see them coming into the house early in September. They 

 will settle inside a window, then work their way to the ceiling, 

 and then vanish into some cranny. I followed the movements 

 of one down a passage where it day by day got into a darker 

 place until at last it hid itself in the very darkest corner, and 

 I had to get a lamp before I could discover its whereabouts. 

 I took one that had come in, and killed and set it. It was a 

 fine fresh specimen, and could not have been very long 

 emerged from the pupa. The " Whites," as might have been 

 expected, were in great force, and their larvae were far too 

 numerous for the good of the cabbages. I do not think any- 

 thing is at all as efficacious for the destruction of these larvae 

 as hand-picking. It is troublesome of course, but where it is 

 done thoroughly it is far the most effective remedy. Mr. 

 Gleeson's experience at Lough Derg(ante p. 250) is probably that 

 of most entomologists. There are certain spots which have 



