MOTHS OF REDGRAVE AND LOPHAM FENS Third Report C . W . PLERCE FEWER visits than usual were paid this year, the first at night taking place on 14th August when I was accompanied by Geoffrey Burton, Peter Nicholson and the latter's brother. Seventy-four species (macro-lepidoptera) appeared at the light of which eightwerenew records for the fens. Haworth's Minor (Celaena haworthii) was Aying in good numbers and about twelve Small Rufous (Coenobia rufa) came to the sheet. Among the new recorded species was one specimen of the commoner Gold Spot (Plusiafestucae) which turned up with two of the New Gold Spot (Plusia gracilis). Other typical fen species included six Powdered Wainscots (Simyra venosa) and one Twin-spotted Wainscot (Nonagria geminipunctä), a few Fen Wainscots (Arenostola phragmitidis), Three Southern Wainscots (Leucania straminea) and several Crescents (Celaena leucostigma). Four species of Pug were recorded for the first time, although it is possible that they have turned up in the past two seasons but have been overlooked. They are the White-spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctariä), Maple Pug (E. inturbata), Piain Pug (E. subnotata) and Wormwood Pug (E. absinthiata).
In addition, we were able to record the Lesser-spotted Pinion (Cosmia affinis), Bird's Wing (Dipterygia scabriuscula) and Small Waved Umber (Horisme vitalbata), the first records since Rev. G. Ford took them between 1946 and 1950. On 29th June, when the Suffolk Trust for Nature Conservation held their Open Day, Mr. H. E. Chipperfield noticed a Caterpillar of the Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) feeding on Meadowsweet. A second was found later in the day. A visit by the Stowmarket Naturalists' Society on Ist October took place on a very cool dry evening and produced only two species, one of which the Herald (Scoliopteryx libatrix) was recorded for the first time. With the exception of a Maiden's Blush (Cosymbia punctaria), a Frosted Green (Polyploca ridens) and an Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana), the caterpillars beaten in the Fens last year produced species of Moths already recorded. Two species seen commonly last year, but omitted from the list of species at the end of the Second Report are the Gold Swift (Hepialus hectus) and the Orange Swift (H. sylvina). Generally, the species noted for the first time this season are ubiquitous and to some extent this is to be expected. The number of typically marsh and fen species as yet unrecorded is certain to be much smaller than the more widespread species.
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M O T H S OF REDGRAVE A N D L O P H A M FENS
143
List of Species Recorded (Nomenclature as Moths of the British Isles, Richard South—1961 Edition) THYATIRIDAE
Frosted Green
Polyploca ridens Fab.
HADENINAE
Powdered Quaker Broom
Orthosia gracilis Schiff. Ceramica pisi Linn.
AMPHIPYRINAE
Rosy Minor Bird's Wing Saltern Ear Lesser-spotted Pinion
Procus literosa Haw. Dipterygia scabriuscula Linn. (1946 Ford) Hydraecia paludis T u t t . Cosmia affinis Linn. (1950 Ford)
NYCTEOLINAE
Oak Nycteoline (syn. Large Marbled Tortrix)
Nycteola revayana Scop.
PLUSIINAE
Gold Spot OPHIDERINAE
Herald LASIOCAMPIDAE
Plasia festucae Linn. Scoliopteryx libatrix Linn. Poecilocampa populi Linn.
December M o t h STERRHIINAE
Cosymbia punctaria Linn.
Maiden's Blush LARENTIINAE
Rivulet Small Waved Umber Wormwood Pug Maple Pug White-spotted Pug Piain Pug
Perizoma affinitata Steph. Horisme vitalbata Schiff. (1949 Ford) Eupithecia absinthiata Cl. E. inturbata Hübn. E. inpunctaria H. Sch. E. subnotata Hübn.
HEPIALIDAE
Gold Swift Hepialus hecta Linn. Orange Swift H. sylvina Linn. (Total species recorded to dat«, including those recorded in 1967 and 1968— 286)
Reference Pierce, C. W . (1968). Moths of Redgrave and Lopham Fens, Second Report. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 14, 208.