Page:VCH Cornwall 1.djvu/265

 INSECTS recorded from Cornwall by Jenner Fust, but has since been taken singly at Altarnun, Lostwithiel and Swanpool, Falmouth. H. albicillata was found in East Cornwall by Marshall, and has been obtained lately near Wadebridge. H. unangulata is not uncommon in woods and old hedgebanks throughout the county. H. taeniata has evidently been recorded in error ; there is no specimen in any available county collection. H. unifasciata has been captured between Launceston and Altarnun, and near Kilkhampton. H, alcbemillata is widely distributed along the south coast and has been bred at Newquay from larvae on Galeapsis tetrahit. H. affinitata is widespread and often abundant, but has not been recorded from Scilly. H. decokrata is widely distributed, but in very variable numbers throughout the county ; it has been taken at Scilly by Adkin. H. albulata is sparingly distributed in the south-east, and has been taken on yellow rattle near St. Columb. H. procellata was recorded by Marshall from East Cornwall, and a solitary example was captured in July, 1904, at Drayne's Wood near Liskeard. H. bilineata is widespread and often abundant. It was very common at Tresco, Scilly, in July, 1903. H. fluviata was taken by Messrs. Marquand near Penzance. H. polygrammata was captured by Marshall in East Cornwall. Pelurga comitata was recorded by Tellam from Bodmin, and by A. H. Jenkin from West Cornwall. Operophtera irumata, the winter moth, is perhaps the most injurious of all the British orchard pests. In Cornwall for the past seven years at least it has done comparatively little damage, but as it is generally distributed throughout the county it might suddenly become a grave menace to the fruit-growing industry should a season come round when it was specially favoured by heat and drought. In 1887 several orchards in the Penzance district suffered severely, and the blighted scorched appearance presented by some neglected apple trees in the Truro district in 1902 formed an im- pressive object lesson. Grease-banding the trees in the early autumn, so as to prevent the ascent of the wingless females, is the most effective of the various preventative measures in occasional use. Euchoeca luteata appears to be confined to the eastern half of Cornwall. It was first recorded by Marshall, but has been found subsequently at Launceston, Calstock, and in the middle reaches of the Lynher valley. A single specimen was taken near Newquay in 1900. E. obliterata is at times not uncommon on alder in the east, and has been taken as far west as Pendarvis, Camborne. E. sylvata is very local, but occurs in several of the woods near the Tamar, and has been taken at Altarnun and above Liskeard. Asthma candidata is also apparently confined to the east of the county, where it is taken sparingly in sylvan glades and ' twixt wood and field.' A. dilutata is occasionally captured in woods and old country lanes. It is widely distributed, but usually scarce. Jenner Fust is the only entomologist who has obtained Xanthorhoe vlttata in the county. X. cervinata has been taken sparingly along the south and at Newquay and Bude on the north coast. X. limitata appears to be common in gardens everywhere. X. plumbaria is fairly plentiful as a rule on rough cliff-land and on open downs. It has been captured at Scilly by Jenkinson. X. bipunc- taria occurs sparingly about Saltash, and has been taken at Looe and Liskeard. X. multistrigaria is local and scarce. It was recorded by A. H. Jenkin from the west, and three specimens were taken near Liskeard in 1904. X. didymata is wide-spread and at times common. X. ferrugata is generally distributed and in most districts plentiful. X. designata is found in woods throughout the county, but has been noticeably scarce since 1902. X. montanata is widely spread and often plentiful. X.fluctuata is common almost every where. Two specimens of X, salicata have been taken at different times close to Bude ; they are both in perfect condition. X. olivata is local and very irregular in its appearance, and though usually very scarce will without apparent reason become quite plentiful locally. In 1900 it was very common at Newquay, and in 1904 at Mevagissey. X. viridaria is usually abundant in open woods and rough scrubby land. A single example of the rare and local Rhodometra sacraria was taken at Looe in August, 1904. STERRHIDAE Eois rusticata is said to have been taken at Rame Head, but there is no recent record. E. vir- gularia is not uncommon in the east of the county and has been taken singly at Truro, Falmouth, Godolphin and Penzance. E. dllutaria is very erratic in its appearance. In 1886 it was reported by Atmore as common about Penzance, but only two specimens have been taken there since. In some years it is fairly plentiful in the east, but in 1900, and again in. 1904 and 1905, not a single example was obtained. In 1902 it was occasionally captured at Newquay. E. subsericata is not uncommon about Looe and has been taken at Liskeard, Bodmin, and once at Penzance. E. aversata is common throughout the county and at Scilly. The banded form (var. spoliata, Stgr.) occurs occasionally. E. emarginata is local and seems to be for the most part confined to the eastern districts. E. dimidiata is not uncommon in places along the south, and has been taken at Launceston and Newquay. E. trigeminata has been recorded from Bodmin by Tellam, from Penzance by Baily, and from Scilly by Adkin. E. bisetata is not uncommon in and about woods and deep lanes with overgrown banks. In 1903 it was plentiful at Tresco. 213