172 
The Irish Naturalist. 
Oct., 1916. 
Entomological Notes from South Donegal. 
I spent September at Coolmore, but owing to broken and rather cold 
weather insects were by no means abundant. The Peacock Butterfly 
{Vanessa io) was much in evidence on any fine day. I saw also a few 
Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies ( Vanessa urticae) but neither a Painted 
Lady nor a Red Admiral. Other butterflies observed were the Large 
White [Pieris brassicae), the Small White (P. rapae), the Green-veined 
White (P. napi), the Wall [Pararge megaera) and the Small Copper {Chry- 
sophamis phloeas) . At Brown Hall, near Ballintra.. I saw the Silver-washed 
Fritillary [Argynnis paphia) and the Speckled Wood [Pararge egeria) on the 
wing. I got larvae of the Marsh Fritillary {Melitaea aurinia) in the young 
stage in webs on heather. Larvae were numerous, and I observed those 
of the Elephant Hawk Moth [Chaerocampa elpenor) on Yellow Bedstraw, 
the Poplar Hawk Moth [Snierinthus populi) on the Bay-leaved Willow, 
the Buff-tip ]Moth [Phalera hucephala) mostly on sallows where they were 
causing considerable destruction of foliage, the Tiger Moth [Arctia caia), 
the Ruby Tiger {Phragmatobia fuliginosa), the White Ermine [Spilosoma 
v.ienthasivi) and the Bufl Ermine (S. lubricepeda); the two last were mostly 
travelhng about looking for a resting-place for the winter. The handsome 
caterpillar of the Oak Egger {Lasiocampa quercus) was conspicuous on 
various plants, also that of the Fox Moth (L. rubi). I did not notice any 
larvae of the Puss Moth, though in other years it was common, but the 
larva of the Grey Dagger [Acronycta psi) was common enough. Among 
Coleoptera I observed Ocyptis olens several times ; on one occasion it was 
busy trying to climb the stone parapet of a railway bridge, with what 
end in view I could not understand, but it did not seem likely to accomplish 
its ascent as the last I saw of it, it had fallen to the ground and seemed 
somewhat discouraged. I noticed quite a number of Chrysomela Banksi 
on herbage. They seemed to be freshly emerged and I noticed one pair 
in cop. I saw a couple of Creophilus maxillosus and one or two Philonthus. 
I saw a Pterostichus vulgaris on the road and a Pi. versicolor among herbage. 
Bees were fairly plentiful ; I noticed Bomhus lapidarius, B. lucorum, 
B. muscorum (smithianus) and B. agrorum, and I captured a single Psithyrus 
campestris Panz., a female. Melliniis arvensis was busy on sunny days 
on a sand bank, but I did not see any on the wing through the sandhills. 
]\Iales of Halictus were pretty common on flowers, and one that I took 
proved to be H. longulus. I took a female example of Saliiis exaltatiis, 
running after its manner among herbage on a glassy bank. It is ex- 
ceedingly active and very difificult to catch, for just as you think you have 
it, it makes a sudden dart and eludes capture. 
Ants were swarming and I captured a few on the wing, which proved 
to be males and females of Myrmica ruginodis. I took some Ichneumon 
Flies, but these I shall have to deal with in a future paper. 
The fewness of insects shows the effects of the cold wet spring and 
early summer. Nothing, however, showed the effect more plainly than 
the scarcity of wasps, for I saw hardly any. 
W. F. Johnson. 
Poyntzpass 
