Quesne was responsible for the reports from 1951 to 1959 and occasionally in later years as well. The 

 compilation of records was accordingly still largely insular in their origin. Nevertheless, activities from 

 outside entomologists, though not exactly bristling, were in evidence. 



Several specialists from the Department of Entomology at the British Museum [Natural History] in 

 London had in the previous 50 year period and after 1951, occasionally collected in the islands. Their 

 interests were mostly in Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera, and sizeable collections were formed to 

 facilitate their researches into the distributions of the European and World fauna. Lists of some of their 

 findings were published in English journals. Apart from studies carried out by N.D. Riley in 1925 and later 

 by L.H. Newman, collecting for Lord Rothschild in 1931, no further Lepidoptera was collected from the 

 Channel Islands for the museum. A continuation was eventually underway through the studies undertaken by 

 the author starting in 1958. 



Aspects of contact from without and within the Channel Islands 



During the 1950's, apart from contacts by post with specialists at the museum in London and 

 elsewhere, with concern for receiving identifications, there was little or no personal contact with members of 

 staff at the museum by recorders operating in the islands. Within the islands, the various amateur 

 entomologists did not apparently, at least to any great degree, encroach upon each other's Bailiwick territory 

 for collecting purposes. Indeed it seems that even a friendly rivalry may have existed. A stable collaboration 

 between the island recorders was not yet in evidence, though to a high degree, this was to come about in the 

 years ahead. Entomological/holiday visits to the smaller islands in the Guernsey Bailiwick by recorders from 

 Guernsey, happened even in Luff s day. The islands most frequently visited were Sark and Alderney, but 

 these visits were usually of short duration and hardly more than twice a year, if that. When viewing the 

 activities of both the entomologists in the islands and those visiting from England, the question of access by 

 transportation between the islands and reaching the islands from mainland England is an important 

 consideration. Until the early 1950's, though access to the islands was available by either sea or air, the 

 transportation was subject to weather conditions and frequency of travel was subject to times of the year. 

 Similarly, trips were, and still are possible between the islands, but frequency of transport has always been 

 subject to times of the year and of course the weather conditions. Nevertheless, travel to and between the 

 islands, was not as quick, easy or comfortable as it is today. Any contact to the island entomologists was 

 invariably by post alone. In the early 1950's, entomological/holiday visits from England to the islands were 

 undertaken by relatively few, the period of highly commercialised tourism was still a long way off. 



Visits to islands like Alderney and Sark, even in the height of summer, especially to a camping 

 visitor, could give the impression that the islands received very few holiday makers, let alone that there were 

 hotels and cafes available on the islands. In Alderney it was possible to camp by Longy Bay and feel you 

 had the entire island to yourself. The islands of Brecqhou, Jethou and even Herm were unknown entities, 

 except to a privileged few. Peter and Jenny Wood had taken over Herm in 1949. At this period, the island 

 was not the popular resort it is today, possible accommodation needed conversion, before it was feasible to 

 receive anyone other than day-trippers. The Wood family needed to devote much loving care and industrious 

 labour into transforming the somewhat neglected premises into the comfortable accommodations that are on 

 offer today. It was many years before Herm became readily accessible to visitors who wished to stay for 

 short or lengthy periods. 



The Brown-tail Moth and its impact on the islands 



In 1953, P.J. Girard (1953: 168) was reporting on the Brown-tail Moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) as 

 a plague in early May in the L'Ancresse area of Guernsey. As a matter of interest, the species was listed in 

 Ansted & Latham (1 862) for both Guernsey and Jersey. On Guernsey in 1874 the species was noted as rare, 

 on Jersey in 1903, it was still apparently such a novelty that larvae were reared, but by 1930 it was seen as 

 abundant, especially in coastal areas. By 1948 in Guernsey, occasional larvae were found and reared, but in 

 1949 it was abundant and in 1952 the species was viewed as a plague. Ever since then, the Brown-tail has 

 been regarded as a pest throughout the islands. By late 1990's, the large outbreaks of Brown-tail larvae were 

 undoubtedly serious defoliators. The species is regarded as an important economic pest, both for the damage 

 caused by defoliation and the allergy effect it had on people due to the urticating hairs from both the larvae 

 and the adults. It's most dramatic effect was felt on Herm in 1996, when their famous beaches were 

 becoming uninhabitable due to the huge amounts of larvae and their cast skins, causing extremely serious 

 skin rashes. Holiday makers were flocking to doctor's surgeries in Guernsey for urgent treatment. The 

 situation became so earnest on Herm that the Guernsey Public Health Department had to consider closing 

 the island to tourists, until steps had been taken to virtually eradicate the species from the island. The process 

 of eradication was attempted by every means possible, from burning the vegetation covered in larval 

 webbing, destroying collected larvae, to extensive spraying with a claimed selective insecticide in the 

 effected areas. During a visit in May 1999, it was pleasing to report to Adrian and Pennie Hey worth who 

 manage the island, that apparently there were no signs of the moth in any of its stages. At the same period 



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