24 THE entomologist's record. 



Cerir/0 matura was common at Heme Hill at light during July. 



September lOth, was spent at Gomshall where larvae af Macaria 

 litiirata, Fido7iia jnniaria and one Thera variata were beaten from pine 

 and Eupithecia 7ianata and one small Anarta nujrtiUi from ling. Thera 

 variata, and Phlogophora meticulosa (1 of each) were the only moths 

 and Pyrameis atalanta and the " Whites " the only butterflies. Treacle 

 only produced Noctiia xanthorirapha, Triphacna pronuba, T. orhona and 

 Ampldpyra pyramidea. — F. M. B. Carr, 46, Handen Road, Lee, S.E. 



Notes from Llanstephan, S. Wales, 1899. — From August to 

 October this district has been visited by a perfect plague of Pieris 

 brassicae. The larviB have completely destroyed the cabbages in every 

 garden, leaving nothing but the bare stalks, acres of turnips have 

 likewise been defoliated, the larvfe swarming over everything in all 

 directions, whilst walls and sides of houses now show the pupfe 

 in every niche and corner, and countless little heaps of ichneumon 

 cocoons. [N.B. — The parasites appear to have been equal to 

 the occasion.] The natives are filled with wonder at this extra- 

 ordinary invasion, never having seen anything of the sort before. 

 On interrogating a farmer as to the cause of the destruction of his 

 turnip crop, he told me that it was some sort of worm that had done 

 all the mischief. I explained to him that these worms were the 

 progeny of the white butterfly, and that in their turn they would 

 develop into white butterflies ; he answered nothing, but gave a pity- 

 ing smile. It will be interesting to note the result of this excess on 

 the coming season. It may, indeed, be in this way that vast migra- 

 tions have their origin, and should such migration take place P. 

 brassicae will be no more in evidence next year than usual. The 

 abundance of the insect, in the first place, may be due to the same 

 cause, viz., immigration, but on this point I am by no means sure, 

 indeed rather favour the following solution. The late summer itself 

 has been an extraordinary one, remarkable for excessive heat and 

 drought, conditions most favourable to the young larvae, for nothing, 

 in my opinion, is more destructive to exposed larvae than rain, they 

 are either drowned outright or washed off the leaves, and being too 

 feeble to regain their food-plant perish in numbers. Should this 

 theory be correct it is easy to understand that a double- and treble- 

 brooded insect would increase in incredible numbers, and it is perhaps 

 fortunate that these combined favourable conditions occur but rarely. 

 I have little doubt that the vast migrations of insects may be attri- 

 buted to local abnormal conditions of atmosphere, &c. P. rapae was 

 also excessively abundant. M. stellatarnm, more numerous than I 

 have ever noticed it before. This insect appears to have been very 

 general all over the country, and this fact may have afforded ento- 

 mologists an opportunity for a closer study of its habits, which seem 

 to be but little understood. Its times for appearance are so erratic, 

 and the whereabouts of the larvaj, to me, are a sealed book, though 

 always on the watch I have never yet come across the caterpillar. In 

 these parts there is no (xalium on the " shingle," and the common 

 species of " bed-straw " died doAvn and withered up before the summer 

 Avas half over, and yet steUatarina was to be seen every day during 

 August, September, and part of October. On September 5th I noted 

 Colias edusa, Pyrameis atalanta was most plentiful, P. cardui also 

 seen. Aglais urticae has been scarce, and Vanessa io not observed. 



