Entomologist's Gazette - Vol. 68, No. 4, 2017
Published: 10/27/2017
Article Details for this issue
Phiaris metallicana (Hübner, [1799]) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): a description of all the early stages, and a consideration of larval pabula
By: S. D. BEAVAN, R. J. HECKFORD & M. R. YOUNG
Page: 227–238
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Until now the ovum, larva and pupa of Phiaris metallicana (Hübner, [1799]) have not been
described in British or mainland European literature. This paper describes and illustrates all
these stages and considers the larval period. It appears that before 2016 nowhere in Europe had
the ovum or pupa been observed and that the larva may not have been noted for over 100 years.
Butterflies (Papilionoidea) on the Isle of Man: losses, gains and predictions
By: PETER B. HARDY, GAIL E. JEFFCOATE & ROGER L. H. DENNIS
Page: 239–254
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
At present, some 17 butterfly species are found on the Isle of Man, ten fewer than the
number recorded during the last 150 years. A comparison of species’ richness against some
basic geographical variables (using sample quadrats of identical size to that of the island
distributed over 100-km squares on the British mainland and Ireland) predicts the occurrence
of 26 species. A closer investigation using a gravity model in a logit regression equation, based
on only British and Irish mainland source coastal records, indicates that only three additional
species may be expected to occur (i.e., Ochlodes sylvanus, Aphantopus hyperantus, Pyronia
tithonus), species which have recently expanded, or are currently expanding, their ranges on the
mainland. Species allegedly lost from the Isle of Man are also those whose populations have
been undergoing extinction on the mainland of Britain during the current period of atlas
recording for Butterflies for the New Millennium. Changes to the Manx butterfly fauna have
weakened affinities with those of British mainland regions and strengthened affinities with
regions in Ireland. The inference of the current study is that with the collapse of populations
of many butterfly species in surrounding source coastal regions of the Irish Sea, the Manx
butterfly fauna will increasingly depend on introductions and extensive effective management
of biotopes in networks on the island facilitating metapopulations. Continued recording is
proving highly valuable and is an essential tool to measure future changes and successes of
management.
BOOK REVIEW: Butterflies of Europe and neighbouring regions, by Patrice Leraut
By: PETER RUSSELL
Page: 255-262
Type: Book Review
Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) intercepted in England on fresh soursop, Annona muricata, fruit imported from the Neotropical Region
By: CHRISTOPHER MALUMPHY
Page: 263–271
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Fresh Annona fruit is imported into England from tropical and subtropical areas of Africa,
Asia, the Middle East, North and South America and the Caribbean. The most speciose group
of arthropods intercepted on fresh Annona fruit in England are the scale insects (Hemiptera;
Coccoidea) and the largest biodiversity of coccoids has been found on fruit originating in the
Neotropical region. Thirty nine species of scale insect assigned to four families were identified
in 113 samples of soursop or guanábana (A. muricata L.) imported from ten countries in the
Neotropical region between 1980 and 2016. The ten most commonly intercepted species,
listed in order of frequency, were: Pinnaspis strachani (Cooley); Planococcus minor (Maskell);
Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green); Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell); Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell);
Clavaspis herculeana (Cockerell & Hadden); Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti);
Philephedra broadwayi (Cockerell); Saissetia neglecta De Lotto; and Coccus longulus (Douglas).
The four species most frequently intercepted, and the most abundant, are all native to Asia.
More species of scale insect have been intercepted in England on fresh Annona fruit than on
any other genus of fresh fruit imported from the Neotropical region, despite the small volume
of Annona fruit traded. The potential plant health risks to UK agriculture and horticulture
posed by the scale insects are discussed and considered to be negligible. Three species are
recorded for the first time from Saint Lucia: Pseudoparlatoria ostreata (Cockerell), Protortonia sp.
and Pseudokermes vitreus (Cockerell).
Celypha cespitana (Hübner, [1817]) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae, Olethreutinae): evidence of possible bivoltinism in the British Isles, additions to the descriptions of the larva and larval foodplants given in the British literature and a consideration of literature from mainland Europe
By: S. D. BEAVAN & R. J. HECKFORD
Page: 272-274
Type: Short Notes
The Moths and Butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Fair Isle
By: NICK J. RIDDIFORD & MARK R. YOUNG
Page: 275–308
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
For the last 38 years there has been almost continuous monitoring of Lepidoptera on Fair
Isle, Shetland. The results of this monitoring are presented here in an annotated summary for
all species up to the end of 2015. The main source of information for moths has come from
light trapping, started in 1987, and ‘sugaring’, augmented by field observations for butterflies
and moth species seldom attracted to light. A literature search added a few historical records.
All contentious and regionally rare species were sent away for expert verification before being
retained in a curated voucher collection on Fair Isle. At the end of 2015 the number of verified
species was 177. The paper discusses this figure in relation to the size of Fair Isle, its distance
from mainland Britain, its island status during and following the last ice age and other factors
limiting diversity. Observations coupled with the long-term nature of the data allow discussion
on local adaptations, variations between trapping sites, local and wider population trends,
classic migrants, extralimital occurrences and the role of Fair Isle as a climate change
monitoring site at a time of shifting distributions.