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MARSH FLORA
Spergularia marginata (DC.) Kittel Spartina townsendii H . and J. Graves Atriplex patula L. Atriplex hastata L. Atriplex littoralis and •vor. dentata L. Phragmites communis Trin. Juncus gerardi Lois. Juncus acutiflorus Hoffm. Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. and Schult Scirpus maritimus L. Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla Plantago major L. Plantago maritima L. Glaux maritima L. Triglochin palustris L. Ranunculus sceleratus L. Typha latifolia L. Carex otrubae Podp. Rumex crispus L. Epilobium hirsutum L.
Cord-grass Common orache Hastate orache Shore orache Common reed M u d rush Sharp-flowered rush Common spiked rush Sea club-rush Bulrush Great plantain Sea plantain Sea milkwort Marsh arrow-grass Celery-leaved crowfoot Great reedmace False fox-sedge Curled dock Great hairy willow-herb P. J. O .
TRIST.
NOTES FROM THE NEW FOREST W h e n I paid a visit to Suffolk in August, 1955, I was pleased to see how well the coastal strip had recovered from the severe floods of two years ago. My visit did not produce any insects worth recording. T h i s might have been different if a very enjoyable excursion to Devil's Dyke and Chippenham Fen had not coincided with a wet day. Perhaps a few notes from my own area on the fringe of the New Forest may be of interest. T h e year started with floods along the River Avon which covered the marshes in its vicinity for three weeks, wiping out many hibernating larvae of the Scarlet Tiger (P. dominula, Linn.). At three different spots along the banks, where, last year, larvae abounded in spring, I could not find a single one this year, although they were present at a few spots above flood level. After the long winter with cold weather extending into May, spring insects, especially butterflies, were not much in evidence, with a marked scarcity of hibernated Vanessids. Hibernating larvae of the White
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Admiral (L. Camilla, Linn.) were still in their hibernacula in the first week of May—an exceptionally late date. (On the strength of which I promised my wife a hot spell before August!). The arrival of a fine Striped Hawk Moth (C. livornica Esp.) at light on May 8th raised the hope of a good migrant year—not fulfilled as far as I was concerned—not another worthy of record beingseen until Sept. l l t h , when the beautiful Pyrale, Margaronia unionalis Hueb. was taken. On the whole, in spite of very many really warm nights this summer, the numbers of the common moths at my light trap have been far fewer than last year when such spp. as Plusia gamma Linn., Triphaena pronuba Linn, and Amathes c-nigrum Linn, turned up in hundreds. The Prominents have provided a good feature with Cerura jurcula Clck and Stauropus fagi Linn., outstanding. Other abundant spp. were Colocasia coryli Linn., Lymantria monacha Linn., Miltochrista miniata Forst, and Hadena contigua Schiff. Amongst several not taken last year were Apatele alni Linn., Xylophasia scolopacina Esp., Craniophora ligustri Schiff., and Zeuzera pyrina Linn. Sugar has been a complete failure. From a female Cloaked Carpet (Euphyia picata Hueb.) caught last year I was able to breed a good series of this pretty Geometer-—one which does not seem to be often taken nowadays. Emergences took place over a long period from May 27th - July 7th. Five attemps at obtaining a pairing all failed. I was also glad, at last, to have succeeded in breeding some Red-necked Footman (Atolmü rubricollis Linn.) from autumn collected larvae, which are not uncommon here. I often found a few larvae in the Blythburgh area, but never reared them, through ignorance of the conditions necessary for success. This hot summer should have a beneficial effect on insects, particularly butterflies, which will have had every opportunity for pairing and egg laying, and there will be some species which will run to an extra brood to reinforce hibernators. I have noticed a tendency this year for larvae which normally hibernate to feed up and attain the perfect State at once. About 25% of some larvae of the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary I am rearing produced a second brood in August and the same percentage of Garden Tiger (Arctia caja Linn.) larvae have spun up and should emerge in October. These being reared artificially, it does not follow that wild ones are doing the same, but I think it shows a tendency towards increased production. Let us hope 1956 will produce another summer like this one, when we may well see a recovery in the insect population, at any rate amongst those which do not have to compete too drastically with the ever increasing activities of agriculture and afforestation and the senseless destruction of the flora of our once beautiful roadsides and railway banks. P . J.
BURTON.