INSECTS 



RHOPALOCERA 



Butter/lies 



PIERIDAE 



The beautiful Black-veined White (Aporia crataegf) can only be claimed as a Nottinghamshire 

 insect on the strength of Sterland's statement (' Zoology of Sherwood Forest,' in White's Worhop, 

 the Dukery, and Sherwood Forest) that ' a single specimen of the Black-veined White (P. crataegi) 

 was taken by J. Trueman, but he does not give in his memoranda the precise locality, though I 

 gather it was in Thoresby Park.' The large and small Cabbage Whites (Pierii brassicae and P. rapae) 

 and the Green-veined White (P. nap!) are all very common both in spring and autumn. The larvae 

 of P. brassicae have been observed feeding gregariously on horse-radish, Tropaeolum canariense and 

 other species, as well as on the more usual cabbages and cauliflowers. P. rapae is very partial to 

 the common garden mignonette, and has also been seen feeding on charlock and horse-radish as well 

 as the various forms of cabbage. The aberration immaculata of this species occurs occasionally. 

 P. napi is more partial to the ridings of woods than are the other two species. The Orange Tip 

 (Euchlo? cardamines) is widely distributed in the county, frequenting the country lanes and wood 

 ridings ; in some localities it is very common. The aberration turritis frequently occurs. The 

 favourite food-plants in this district appear to be charlock (Brassica Sinapistrum) and garlic mustard 

 (Shymbrlum Alllaria). The delicate and fragile-looking Wood White (Leucophasia sinapis) used to 

 occur occasionally in Sherwood Forest according to Sterland, and a single specimen was taken at 

 Newark many years ago (G. Gascoyrie, in Newman's British Butterflies). No modern entomologist 

 has seen it. The Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale) is usually very rare, but occurs in small numbers 

 at wide intervals. Several were taken at Mansfield in 1875, and at Southwell in 1877, but no more 

 were seen, as far as I can ascertain, until 1900, when it occurred in several localities in the Notting- 

 ham district. The Clouded Yellow (C. edusa) is of much more frequent occurrence, occasionally 

 becoming quite common, but it is very uncertain and erratic. It was common about Mansfield in 

 1859, occurred at Nottingham in 1875, and in profusion all over the county in 1877. A few 

 specimens were seen in 1878, 1883, 1885, and 1889 ; and in 1892 it again appeared in numbers 

 in every part of the county. In 1895 it occurred about Mansfield, accompanied by a few var. 

 belice (Daws) ; and finally in 1900 it once more appeared in many localities. On the Foss road 

 at Cotgrave it was so abundant that one collector secured fifty specimens in perfect condition in 

 two hours on 1 8 August. Gonopteryx rhamn't, the Brimstone butterfly, occurs somewhat sparingly 

 throughout the county, and is occasionally common, as in 1900. 



NYMPHALIDAE 



Of the Fritillaries the Pearl-bordered (Argynnis euphrosyne) and Small Pearl-bordered (A. selene) 

 occur in various localities, the former being much the commoner. A. ag/aia, the Dark Green 

 Fritillary, is widely distributed, but scarce ; the High Brown Fritillary (A. adippe) is still fairly common 

 in Sherwood Forest and was formerly so in many places where it is now scarce. The Silver-washed 

 Fritillary (A. papbia) is now also an uncommon insect, but several specimens were seen in a wood near 

 Retford in 1901. All the Argynnidae, except perhaps A. euphrosyne, seem indeed to be gradually 

 getting scarcer in Nottinghamshire. The Greasy Fritillary (Melitaea aurinia) was several times taken 

 in Sherwood Forest by J. Trueman, according to Sterland, and a single specimen was taken at 

 Worksop in 1883 by Miss Alderson. The singularly-shaped Comma Butterfly (Vanessa c-album) 

 seems to have been not uncommon formerly, but is now very rare ; it has occurred in recent years 

 at Thieves Wood and Mansfield (Daws), and one specimen was taken at Worksop on 15 September, 

 1893, by Miss Alderson. The Large Tortoiseshell \V. polychloros) is occasionally seen, and the Small 

 Tortoiseshell (V. urticae) is very common everywhere. The variety ichnusoides has been taken at 

 Mansfield by Mr. Daws. The Peacock (V. to) is usually very scarce and uncertain in its appearance, 

 but in 1 900 it was quite common. Records of the occurrence of the Camberwell Beauty (V. an- 

 tiopa) in Nottinghamshire are fairly numerous : one at Worksop and one at Southwell in 1846, and 

 one taken some years before near Nottingham (J. Wolley) ; two at Welbeck and two at Edwin- 

 stowe in 1860 (Sterland). 'In 1860 this species was common about Mansfield. I have two taken 

 here. A nice series was taken at Berry Hill by the late Lady Walker ; they were feeding on fallen 

 ripe plums. They were again fairly numerous in 1864' (W. Daws). Several specimens were 

 taken in Nottinghamshire in 1872 (Brameld), and a specimen was seen flying in Nottingham in or 

 about 1890. The Red Admiral (V. atalanta) is common throughout the county, in some seasons 

 extremely so, and the Painted Lady (P, . cardui), though usually very scarce, is sometimes just as 

 common. It was abundant in 1883 and 1892, and common in South Nottinghamshire in 1900. 

 It was again common in the autumn of 1903. 



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