INSECTS 



seasons has occurred in larger numbers than usual. P. smaragdaria the 

 Essex Emerald was for many years a great rarity, Southend, South- 

 minster and St. Osyth being its only recorded British localities ; but since 

 the discovery of its food plant it has been found freely all along the coast 

 from Southend to St. Osyth, which is the present known limit of its 

 northern range. It is to be feared that this beautiful insect has been 

 much too keenly ' worked for ' of late by the London and other 

 collectors, who. should remember that though common at present its 

 range in Britain is very restricted, and that altogether apart from direct 

 human agency its struggle for existence must sometimes be severe. 

 During a recent dry season at St. Osyth nearly all the food plants had 

 been bitten or trodden down by cattle, and most of the larvas must 

 necessarily have perished. lodis lactearia and Hemitbea strigata (t&ymiaria, 

 Gn.) are common in woods and lanes everywhere. 



EPHYRID^E 



Zonosoma porata and Z. punctaria occur freely among scrub oak and 

 are widely distributed. After a long period of scarcity they are again 

 common at Colchester. Z. linearia (fri/inearia, Bork.) is plentiful among 

 beech at Epping. Z. annulata (omicronaria, Hb.) occurs freely in many 

 places especially on the boulder clay among maple. Z. pendularia is 

 local and not common now, though it was formerly plentiful at Dedham 

 and St. Osyth. 



ACIDALIID^ 



Asthena luteata is common among maple and is frequently found 

 among alder. A. candidata abounds everywhere. A. blomeri was once 

 captured by the Rev. C. R. N. Burrows at Wanstead this must have 

 been a straggler from some other county. Eupisteria obliterate (beparata, 

 Haw.) is rather common in the Colchester district and doubtless occurs 

 generally among alder. Acidalia ochrata is extremely local, being only 

 found at Southend and St. Osyth. A. dimidiata (scufu/afa, Bork.) and 

 A. bisetata are common. A. trigeminata is scarcer, but may be disturbed 

 from underwood and hedges, and captured on the wing at dusk in many 

 localities. A. rusticata is a recent addition to the county list, and has 

 only been found by Mr. Burrows and Mr. Whittle, who took it in the 

 Southend district. A. dilutaria (inter jectaria, Bdv.) and A. virgu/aria 

 (incanaria, Hb.) are generally common. A. ornata was once captured 

 at Leigh by Mr. Walker, who took a single specimen in 1893. A.mar- 

 ginepunctata (promutata, Gn.) is widely distributed and often common. 

 A. subsericeata is somewhat scarce, but has been found more freely in the 

 southern than in the northern portion of the county. A. immutata occurs 

 at Southend and Leigh. A. remutaria and A. imitaria are generally com- 

 mon. A. emutaria occurs sparingly in many coast localities. A. aversafa 

 abounds everywhere. A. inornata is found frequently in woods. A. emar- 

 ginata is very common, and Timandra amataria may be met with every- 

 where, especially in damp places in woods. 



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