105 



NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA AND COLEOPTERA 

 CAPTUEED IN 1906. 



By H. F. & J. C. F. Fkyer. 



In Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire the year 1906 was 

 a successful one from a collector's point of view, but very little 

 of genuine scientific value can be recorded. 



In the Rhopalocera three species of Thecla were bred, viz., 

 T. pruni, betulcs, and quercus, the two latter being abundant and 

 easily reared. Augiades (P.) comma was taken on the Devil's 

 Dyke the third week in August, and also one specimen of Cupido 

 minima, which, we presume, would be the second brood. 



In the Heterocera Hijlopldla quercana was recorded for the 

 first time from our part of the Isle of Ely. Leucoma salicis 

 seems on the increase, after being scarce for many years. 



Noctuae were not so plentiful as in 1905, but the quality was 

 quite as good. Cymatophora ocularis turned up in some numbers 

 at sugar, especially on white poplar, though occurring singly in 

 most other situations as well. Acronycta strigosa again occurred, 

 but only once, at sugar. A fine variety of A. ligustri was taken, 

 resembling var. coronida, but without any light markings. Eeed- 

 feeding species were scarce, especially Leucania straminea and 

 Senta ulvce, though Calamia lutosa in October was not uncommon. 

 Xylophasia subliistris in June was a new record for the district. 



In Mid Devon one Laphygma exigiia was taken at light, but 

 on account of illness little collecting was done in this county. 



An attempt was made to observe the relative numbers of 

 Miana strigilis and its variety cethiops. The insects on a single 

 round of about one dozen sugared posts were counted. The 

 result was inconclusive, the numbers varying to too great an 

 extent from night to night. On the whole, cethiops was in excess, 

 about seventy per cent, being this variety. 



Three specimens of the var. bilinea of Grammesia trilinea were 

 taken. Agrotis ravida was again uncommon, only three speci- 

 mens being noticed. Taniocampa opima and T.popideti occurred 

 at sallows, but only singly. One perfect Dicycla oo was captured 

 at sugar in July, in the fen, at least six miles from the nearest 

 oak wood, where we have never yet found the species. One 

 specimen of Asteroscopus spJdnx was bred from larva beaten in 

 May. Bankia argentula was common at Chippenham in June. 

 This closes the list of Noctuse, though all the regular species 

 noticed in former years occurred as well. 



In the Geometrae Amphidasys hetularia var. douhledayaria was 

 bred, being the first specimen observed in the district, although 

 this species has been bred occasionally for a period of forty years. 



One of the catches of the season was a specimen of Sterrha 

 sacraria, taken while out shooting in Cambs. It is a male in 



