BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 6: 1993 It7 



trees on the western edge of the Shabbington complex by the Bernwood Meadows when 

 he noticed an empty pupal case protruding from the base of one of the poplars in the 

 plantation (compt. 31, Yorks Wood, SP609109). The tree was about 3 m in from 

 the edge of the wood and vegetation around the base was sparse. The trunk probably 

 receives some direct sunshine. The moth was actually discovered in the wood the 

 previous month and reported at this meeting by Peter and Di Sharpe. On 27. vi. 1993 Peter 

 had been turning back some bark on a Poplar at the eastern end of the adjacent com- 

 partment 32, on the north edge of the ride running east from Intersection 3 (SP614105), 

 when a live pupa fell out. The adult moth was reared and emerged successfully on 

 29. vi. This adds to a cluster of recent records in the Oxford area (Waring, 1992). 



Three other species attracted particular interest and comment from the night-workers 

 and are worthy of mention. The buff footman Eilema deplana (Esp.) was about in 

 good numbers throughout the woods, from Oakley Wood in the north to Waterperry 

 Wood in the south, with several in many of the traps. Several recorders remarked 

 that they had not seen this somewhat local moth before. The oak nycteoline Nycteola 

 reveyana (Scop.) was another 'new' species for some. This species was recorded 

 in the semi-natural mature coppice regrowth of compartment 12 in Oakley Wood, 

 and in Yorks Wood between compartments 23 and 24 on the main ride from Hell 

 Coppice. The latter individual was of a fine red and grey form that seems to 

 predominate in these woods. Several satin beauties, including females, were captured 

 in the traps along the above ride, which runs by stands of mature conifers and has 

 plenty of the cover with which both this species and the oak nycteoline are often 

 associated. In contrast larvae of the oak nycteoline that I have beaten in these woods 

 have been on free-standing oaks, in sunny places but adjacent to cover. The satin 

 beauty turned up at other traps throughout the woods during the meeting but in 

 smaller numbers. 



The opportunity was also taken by light operators to record numbers of melanics, 

 banded and typical forms of several species for comparisons of frequency between 

 different habitats. 



The lesser common rustic Mesapamea didyma (Esp.) was confirmed from the 

 Shabbington complex, where specimens were taken on the main ride just north of 

 Hell Coppice (D. Brown, pers. comm.). 



Several glow-worms Lampyris noctiluca (L.) were reported along the main rides 

 in Oakley and Waterperry Woods. 



Although the weather was against us the meeting did succeed in bringing together 

 a large number of the societies' members and provided an opportunity to discuss 

 our forays and discoveries so far this season. I would like to thank all those who 

 attended and helped to make this meeting such a memorable occasion and to thank 

 everyone for sending in their species lists so promptly. If any of you are still wondering 

 what happened to my assistant, his five generators and the walkie-talkie radios that 

 would have avoided Rachel and I travelling around the wood several times during 

 the night, the answers are that the assistant did not have an accident on the road, 

 nor was his van stolen as we feared; he phoned the day after to report that the loaded 

 van was locked in a garage on the Friday night and he couldn't get hold of the key 

 on the day of the meeting! The owners of the radios had not renewed the licences 

 to use them! 



Acknowledgements 



I would like to thank English Nature and the Forestry Commission for permission 

 to hold the field meeting. 



