NOTES FROM THE WYE VALLEY '. LEPIDOPTERA IN 1906. 63 



Herminiq tarsipennalis, B.grisealis, and Hypenodes costaestrigalis were all 



common in their respective haunts, and Hypena proboscidalis abundant 

 everywhere. Has the natural foodplant of H. costaestrigalis been dis- 

 covered yet ? This species is locally plentiful in damp spots in and, more 

 especially, on the outskirts of woods, and I have often watched the ? s 

 at dusk, hoping to discover one in the act of ovipositing, but without 

 success. They most frequently settle on grass stems in dark corners 

 near bushes, where they remain for several minutes without moving. 

 On July 4th I beat a specimen of Bomolocha fontis, and during the 

 last week of August found the larvae common on Vaccinium myrtillus. 

 One Binda sericealis was netted at dusk in July at Llandogo, the only 

 specimen we have met with here. On March 7th I saw the first 

 Brephos parthenias near Redbrook, Gloucestershire, and, on the 28th of 

 that month, had the pleasure of capturing a fine specimen in a wood at 

 Tintern, schoolboy fashion, with my cap, while it was settled and 

 fluttering its wings on woodrush. This handsome species was common 

 last year, but I only captured two, the second on April 7th at Llandogo, 

 when it flew down and settled almost at my feet. Urapteryx sam- 

 bucaria was common, but Angerona prunaria, which occurred freely in 

 1905, was decidedly scarce. A few Venilia macularia were taken in a 

 wood, but it was not common. Cabera pusaria and C. exanthemaria 

 males, and Bapta temerata females, were as common as usual. Have 

 other collectors noticed the scarcity of the females of the first two and 

 the males of B. temerata ' Macaria notata, Numeria pulveraria, and 

 Gonodontis hidentata were all scarce last year, and Panagra petraria, 

 though common, in much fewer numbers. Ennomos angularia, Epione 

 advenaria, and Metrocampa margaritata were to be obtained by beating, 

 and Selenia bUunaria, S. var. juliaria, and Pericallia syringaria taken 

 at dusk. Phigalia pedaria made its first appearance on January 25th, 

 at light. In May several Tephrosia crepuscularia (biundularia) were found 

 on iree-trunks, and one very handsome melanic specimen bred. T. 

 punctularia was very rare, only one specimen being met with, and T. ex- 

 tersaria, which was common in 1904 and scarce in 1905, was not seen at 

 all. Boarmia repandata was bred and also netted at dusk, but was not 

 common. B. rhomboidaria occurred in the garden, and one Hemero- 

 phila abruptaria netted at Llandogo. I do not think the latter is 

 common about here. Of the autumn Hyberniids, only Hybernia 

 defoliaria turned up, but not plentifully. H. progemmaria, II. rupi- 

 capraria, and H. leucophaearia were; all noted in the early part of the 

 year, light attracting the last named on January 80th. Anisopteryx 

 aescularia was bred and specimens also came to light, the first on 

 February 27th. Abraxas ulmata was very scarce in a locality where 

 we usually find it in abundance, and even A. grossulariata was not 

 very common last season. We have no Euonymus europaeus in our 

 immediate neighbourhood, and consequently have not seen much of 

 Ligdia adustata, but, in September, on the Gloucestershire side of the 

 river, near Bigsweir, I discovered plenty of these bushes and soon 

 found several larva?, but they were nearly all "stung." In May, larvae 

 of Geometra papilionaria were found on birch, and several fine specimens 

 bred. One example of Ephyra punctaria was beaten in a wood at 

 Tintern, a species we have not met with before in this district. E. 

 trilinearia, usually common among the beeches, was not seen at all in 

 the winged state, but in August the larva? were noted. On August 



