NOTES ON INSECTS OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE DURING 



THE YEAR 1881. 



By Eleanoe A. Oemerod, P.M.S. 



Read at Watford, list March, 1882. 



IiiT compliance witli the request of our Secretary that I would 

 arrange for the Society the Entomological Observations of 1881, 

 I endeavour to ofPer a Report, but at the same time I much regret 

 that the notes of our observers are so few in number, and record 

 so little beyond dates of first appearance, that they are scarcely of 

 the interest we could wish. 



The first appearance of insects has been recorded by the following 

 observers : — 



At Bushey, Watford, by Dr. A. T. Brett ; at Watford by Mr. 

 J. Hopkinson ; at Harpenden by Mr. J. J. "Willis ; at St. Albans 

 by Mr. A. E. Gibbs; at Redbourn Bury, St. Albans, by Mrs. 

 Arnold; at Hertford by Mr. R. T. Andrews; at Fanhams Hall, 

 Ware, by Mr. R. B. Croft ; at Great Hormead, Buntingford, by the 

 Rev. J. C. ff. Chamberlain ; at Throcking, Buntingford, by the Kev. 

 C. W. Harvey ; and at Ashwell by Mr. H. George Fordham. 



The observations are as follow : — 



Melolontha vulgaris (cockchafer) — seen at Harpenden, May 23 ; 

 Great Hormead, Buntingford, June 3. 



Ajns mellifca (honey-bee) — at Ashwell, Jan. 31 ; Ware, Feb. 28 ; 

 Great Hormead (Buntingford), Harpenden, and Hertford, March 5 ; 

 Throcking, March 6. 



Pieris Brasdccc (large white cabbage-butterfly) — at Harpenden, 

 April 6; Hertford, April 7; AVatford, April 15; Bushey, April 

 16 ; Great Hormead, Buntingford, April 17 ; Redbourn Bury, 

 April 25; St. Albans, May 1 1. 



Pieris RapcB (small white cabbage-butterfly) — at Hertford, April 

 8; Ware and St. Albans, April U); Watford, April 10; Bushey, 

 April 16 ; Great Hormead and Throcking, near Buntiugford, April 

 17 ; Harpenden, May 28. 



EpincpluleJanira (meadow-brown butterfly) — atHertford, May 24. 



Bihio Marci (St. Mark's fly)— at Watford, April 30. 



Trichocera hiemalis (winter gnat) — at Watford, Jan. 1 ; not 

 having been noticed in the previous December. 



GonepUryx Rhmnni (the brimstone butterfly) and Vanessa Urticce 

 (the common tortoise-shell) were seen on the wing on the 11th of 

 March (which is recorded as a Avarm sunny day) at Throcking, 

 Buntingford ; and Vanessa lo (the peacock butterfly) was seen at 

 Hertford on the preceding day, March 10. 



From the above notes it appears that honey-bees were noticed at 

 four of the six localities of observation respectively on the 5th or 

 6th of March, and that of seven observations of the appearance of 



