254 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 13: 2001 



There had been a brief shower just before dusk and although it was fine thereafter, 

 it was clear, breezy and cold, with a dusk temperature of 14°C falling to a night 

 minimum of 12°C. We were in touch with the folks at Sloden by mobile phone and 

 the results were similar at both sites. None of us saw any crimson underwings. In the 

 first half hour after dusk all we had seen at Ladycross were a couple of flame 

 shoulder Ochropleura plecta (L.) and an angle shades Phlogophora meticulosa (L.). 

 Then a few black arches Lymantria monacha (L.) and maiden's blush Cyclophora 

 punctaria (L.) began to come in from the oaks and one or two common noctuid 

 moths from the damp grassland under the trees, such as the small wainscot Photedes 

 pygmina (Haw.) and the straw dot Rivula sericealis (Scop.). By this stage the copper 

 underwings on the wine-ropes had almost all left and no other moths had come to 

 replace them. By 23.00hrs we were virtually certain that the crimson underwings were 

 not going to appear this night and members reluctantly began packing up their gear, 

 resolved to try again on a warmer night another year. A bat began patrolling over 

 our lights and caught some of the few moths which were arriving. Rachel and I 

 settled down in our tent for the night and ran one Robinson trap all night. The total 

 catch at dawn was only 36 macro-moths of 14 species, including 3 peacock moths 

 Semiothisa notata (L.). David Burrows stayed the night at Sloden with his MV light 

 and three others were operated until late. This group also sugared eleven oak trees 

 and used several wine-ropes. The most noteworthy of the captures at Sloden were 

 two narrow-winged pugs Eupithecia nanata angusta Prout from the heath, a yellow- 

 barred brindle Acasis viretata (Hubn.) and a bordered beauty Epione repandaria 

 (Hufn.), in addition to eleven maiden's blush and 15 black arches, including one 

 female. 



It was a glorious sunny morning at Ladycross as we packed up our gear and had 

 breakfast, with green woodpeckers Picus viridis (L.) and a nuthatch Sitta europaea 

 (L.) calling from this handsome cathedral of ancient oaks. The Forest had withheld 

 her crimson underwings from us on this occasion but we were more than happy 

 enjoying the scenery of this beautiful place. We shall have to hold another BENHS 

 meeting in the north of the Forest for the dark crimson underwing another year. 



Later in the morning, in hot sun on nearby heathland at Roydon Common, before 

 returning to Peterborough, we encountered over a dozen silver Y moths Autographa 

 gamma (L.) flying about amongst the heather, several rush veneer moths Nomophila 

 noctuella (D. & S.) and a fresh red admiral Vanessa atalanta (L.), suggesting that the 

 squally weather of the previous day had brought with it some migrants from the south. 



I would like to thank Dave Green for making the advance arrangements for this 

 meeting, the Forestry Commission for permission to hold it and the hardy souls who 

 joined us despite the unfavourable weather forecast. Copies of this report and the 

 species lists have been forwarded to the Forestry Commission and the BENHS 

 archivists. 



References 



Cook, R. & Pickles, A., 1998. Field meeting report: 11 October 1997. New Forest, Hampshire. 



British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 11: 63-64 

 Pickles, A., 2001. Field meeting report: 10 October 1998. New Forest, Hampshire. British 



Journal of Entomology and Natural History 13: 248 

 Waring, P., 1996a. Field meeting report. New Forest, Hampshire, 12 August 1995. British 



Journal of Entomology and Natural History 9: 56-59. 

 Waring, P., 1996b. Crimson Underwing survey in the New Forest, Hampshire, 12 August 1995. 



Butterfly Conservation News 62: 20-21. 

 Waring, P., 1997. Field meeting report: 27 July 1996. Heathlands and bogs near Sway, New 



Forest, Hampshire. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 10: 47-52. 



