Page:VCH Essex 1.djvu/191

 INSECTS Pachnobla rubricosa is sometimes found at sallow and sloe blossoms, but is far from common. Tceniocampa gothica and T. incerta (instabilis, Esp.) are abundant. T. opima is rare, but has been found at Wanstead by Mr. Machin and at Southend by Mr. Whittle, and was bred from a Colchester larva in April, 1901. T. populeti is widely distributed among aspen. T. stabilis is abundant. T. gracilis is of general occurrence. T. mimosa is usually scarce but is found in many oak woods, where its gregarious larvae are occasionally common. 7*. munda is more frequent among elm ; it is widely distributed but scarce. T. pufoerulenta (cruda^ Tr.) abounds every- where. Orthosia suspecta is very local. It is reported from Brentwood by Mr. Raynor and from Rainham by Mr. Burrows. O. upsilon, O. /ota, O. maci/enta, Anchocelis rufina and A. pistacina are all generally common. A. lunosa is found pretty freely at ivy blossom and suburban gas lamps. A. litura and Cerastis vaccinii are found everywhere. C. ligula (spadicea Hb.) is much scarcer, at least in the Colchester and Southend districts. Scopelosoma satellitia is common throughout the county. Oporina croceago is scarce and local, but has occurred at Danbury, and has been taken at Epping by Mr. Oldham, at Brentwood by Mr. Raynor, and at Wor- mingford by Mrs. Bull. Xanthia citrago is well distributed among lime trees. X.fuhago (cerago, Fb.) and X.jlavago (si/ago, Hb.) are common, especially the former ; the larva? may be beaten from sallow catkins in the spring and the perfect insects from yellow leaves in the autumn. X. aurago is very scarce in the northern part of the county, but is more frequently met with in the south. It has occurred at Colchester and also in the Epping, Brentwood, Maldon and Stanford-le-Hope districts. X. gi/vago may be beaten freely some seasons from the seeds of the wych elm. X. ocellaris is extremely rare, single specimens only having been captured by Mr. Percy Reid at Peering Bury near Kelvedon, and by Mr. Whittle at Southend. X. circellaris (ferruginea, Esp.) is common everywhere. Cirrhcedia xerampelina is apparently local and scarce, but has been taken at Colchester, Epping, Maldon and Southend. COSMIID^E Tetbea subtusa is frequently found among black poplar and aspen, but has been less common recently than it was formerly. T. retusa is much scarcer and more local, but has been taken at Epping, Harwich, Layer Marney and Rainham. Cosmia paleacea (fu/vago, Hb.) was once captured at Hazeleigh by the Rev. G. H. Raynor, which seems to be the only record. Dicycla oo has sometimes been found freely in many places in south Essex, but is of very rare occurrence in the northern districts. Epping, Hainault, Brentwood, and Rainham seem to have been the most favoured localities, but it has been taken at Coggeshall, and by Mr. Percy Adams at Halstead. Calymnia trapezina is very common throughout the county. C. pyralina is rare and local. Mr. Raynor has met with it at Brentwood and Hazeleigh, Mr. Garrow at Leytonstone, and it has also been found by Mr. Burrows and Mr. Whittle. C. diffinis and C. affinis have a wide distribution and are not uncommon in some elm districts. I 153 20