22G THE entomologist's record. 



Where the flowers are abundant and prove a gi'eater attraction, it is better 

 to " sugar " the flowers when practicable. Carefully examine ragwort 

 flowers for Agrotis pyroplilla and Tryphoena suhsequa — both of which are 

 very conspicuous in the rays of the lantern, and are still considered 

 rarities. Light continues very productive. — J. P. Mutch. 



OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Failure of Sugar. — This season is decidedly mixed. Yesterdaj^, 

 at Dorking, we took Lyccena alsns in good condition, also Argynnis 

 paphia, and most of the July things are out, although a few are rather 

 more backward than usual. Sugar is a dead failure. A night last 

 week at Hale I^nd, only produced one Trip]uena pronuha, and two 

 Miana Htrigih's from about forty trees, although Noctua festiva, N. mhi, 

 and N. triangiilum, &c., were flying freely. At the same place, this 

 time last year, there were about fifty insects on every tree. Would 

 not this be a good opportunity of discvxssing the question of the failure 

 of sugar during certain seasons ? I know the usual reason quoted is 

 the abundance of hone3^dew, but I am a sceptic on that point. — 1st, 

 supposing that the attractive powers of honeydew are ten times those 

 of sugar, surely even that would not suffice to draw away all l)ut three 

 out of say three thousand specimens (the computed number for the 

 same time last year) ; 2nd, honeydew is easily washed off by rain, and 

 one good wet day ought to make sugar pay, but in my experience it does 

 not ; 3rd, has anyone ever seen Nociu.b in the countless swarms at 

 honej^dew that one might expect if it were so specially attractive ; 4th, 

 when sugar paj's, insects will be there ; or, if no sugar is put on, they 

 visit flowers, &c. At seasons like this they " loaf " up and down the 

 hedges aimlessly. One sees many more Nocture " loafing " this season 

 than in good years. My own idea on the subject is, that it is owing to 

 a constitutional change in the insects, which causes them to almost 

 abstain from food. As to liow the change is brought about I fail to 

 see, except that it has an evident connection with a spell of hot, dry 

 weather. — A. U. Battley. June 16/A, 1893. 



With regard to No. 1 of Mr. Battley's arguments he seems to me 

 to be all at sea. He forgets the comparative area of the treacle and 

 honeydew. If they are equally attractive, and the area of honeydew 

 leaves : the area of treacle : : 3,000 : 3, his proportion is accounted 

 for. This may well l)e when every leaf seems sticky, as was the case 

 this year. — A. Kobinson, 1, Mitre Court Buildings, Temple. June IWi, 

 1893. 



I HAVE not been very successful with sugar, but I think the state of 

 all the leaves, thick with honeydew, easily accounts for their not 

 requiring artificial food. — E. Bazett, Springfield, Beading. J^me dtJi, 

 1893. 



The " loafing " Nocture have been remarked here this season, but 

 probably if caught they would turn out common hedgeside species. I 

 think Noctu.?<; could not ])e expected in such numbers at honeydew as 

 at sugar from the simijle reason that the former is more diffused, and 

 the insects spread over a gTcater radius. Here, sugar is useless this 

 season. Aphides are in numbers even upon the gi-ass. — S. Webb, 

 Dover. June 10th, 1893. 



