Entomologist's Gazette - Vol. 72, No. 3, 2021
Published: 8/13/2021
Article Details for this issue
Colour variation linked to host-plants in the endemic beetle currently known as Ceutorhynchus contractus (Marsham, 1802) form pallipes Crotch, 1866 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Lundy, Devon
By: ROGER S. KEY, ROSY J. D. KEY, JENNY C. CRAVEN & STEPHEN G. COMPTON
Page: 147–156
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Uniquely in Britain, the small island of Lundy has an endemic plant that supports two
species of beetles that are also endemic. The Lundy Cabbage Weevil (currently called
Ceutorhynchus contractus form pallipes) was originally distinguished from mainland C. contractus
by its yellow legs, but genetic and morphological studies have shown that f. pallipes can have
either black or yellow legs. Over a period of 25 years we monitored the frequencies of the two
colour varieties on its two main food plants, Coincya wrightii and Cochlearia danica. Consistent
differences were maintained, with roughly equal colour frequencies on Coincya wrightii and
black individuals more common on Cochlearia danica, even when host-plants were growing
close together. We provide possible explanations for this persistent but enigmatic difference.
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS Pancalia schwarzella (Fabricius, 1798) (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae) reared from Viola tricolor ssp. curtisii (E. Forst.) Syme in England
By: S. D. BEAVAN & R. J HECKFORD
Page: 157–159
Type: Short Notes
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS A record of Symmetrischema pallidochrella (Chambers, 1872) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) at Landguard Bird Observatory, Felixstowe, Suffolk
By: NIGEL ODIN & JEFF B. HIGGOTT
Page: 160–162
Type: Short Notes
The influence of artificial selection on wing spot sizes, and the relationship between forewing and hindwing spots in the Meadow Brown Butterfly Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus, 1758), ssp. cassiteridum Graves, 1930 ab. anticrassipuncta Leeds, 1950 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)
By: RUPERT BARRINGTON
Page: 163–172
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Four generations of butterflies were reared from two female Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus,
1758) with enlarged apical spots (ab. anticrassipuncta Leeds, 1950) captured on St Mary’s, Isles
of Scilly, UK in 2013. The aim was to see how far this character could be developed through
inbreeding. Previous work by Brakefield & van Noordwijk (1985) has looked at the relationship
between forewing and hindwing spotting. The specimens retained from this experiment offered
an opportunity to assess the correlation between the forewing spot size, additional forewing
spots and hindwing spot size and number. A correlation was found between the area of the
forewing spot and the number of additional spots, on both forewings and hindwings. A
correlation was also found between the area of the apical spot and the summed area of all
hindwing spots. However, when apical spot size was tested against an individual hindwing spot,
a correlation in size was found in the male, but this was of far lower value in the female.
Colias hyale sareptensis Alphéraky, 1875, and its name-bearing type (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
By: ROBERT WORTHY & GERARDO LAMAS
Page: 173–175
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
A new lectotype designation by Korb (2013) for Colias hyale sareptensis Alphéraky, 1875 is
rejected and the previous lectotype designation by Grieshuber, Worthy & Lamas (2006)
reinstated.
BOOK REVIEW Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Volume 6/1. Chrysomeloidea 1 (Vesperidae, Disteniidae, Cerambycidae), updated and revised second edition, edited by Mikhail Danilevsky
By: MICHAEL COX
Page: 176–178
Type: Book Review
Scythris albostriata Hannemann, 1961 and S. pascuella (Zeller, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Scythrididae): discovery of the larvae, in Croatia, both on Petrorhagia saxifraga (L.) Link, a previously unrecognised larval foodplant of any species of Scythris
By: R. J. HECKFORD & S. D. BEAVAN
Page: 179–187
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
An account is given of the discovery of the hitherto unknown larvae of Scythris albostriata
Hannemann, 1961, and S. pascuella (Zeller, 1855) in Croatia feeding on the leaves of
Petrorhagia saxifraga (L.) Link, a previously unknown foodplant of any species of Scythris.
Descriptions and photographs of the larvae are provided, together with images of the adults and
male genitalia.
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS Callophrys rubi (L.) interacting with Favonius quercus (L.)
By: ADRIAN SPALDING
Page: 188
Type: Short Notes
High-altitude migration of Psylloidea (Hemiptera) over England
By: ALEXANDER F. C. GREENSLADE, JASON W. CHAPMAN & DON R. REYNOLDS
Page: 189–198
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Some species of psyllid (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) are known to make high-altitude windborne
migrations, but compared with their sister superfamily, the Aphidoidea, our knowledge of these
movements is rudimentary and unsystematised. Here we have extracted psyllid capture data
from day and night aerial sampling carried out at a height of 200 m above ground at
Cardington, Bedfordshire, UK, during summers between 1999 and 2007. These records were
consolidated with high-altitude psyllid catches made over England during the 1930s and with
some other trapping results from northwest Europe which were indicative of migration.
Information on aerial densities, diel flight periodicity, and the sex-ratio of the aerial psyllid
populations is presented. We also compared our results with those of a recent study which used
the Rothamsted Insect Survey network of suction traps (sampling at a height of 12.2 m); this
provided confirmative evidence that the suction-traps were indeed detecting migrating psyllids.
Finally, both aerial netting and suction trap data were used to tentatively interpret the seasonal
timing of migrations in terms of the breeding/overwintering cycles of some common psyllid
species.
Double-countershading as a means of camouflage in larvae of Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
By: CLIVE CRAIK
Page: 199–202
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
In Shaw & Otto (2020), Shaw described larvae of the butterfly, Orange-tip Anthocharis
cardamines (Linnaeus, 1758), that were visually obvious yet apparently immune to bird
predation. He speculated that mustard oils in the foodplants may render them distasteful to
birds so that being conspicuous is of little consequence, allowing them to bask in sunshine
possibly to aid digestion. In contrast, I argue that in certain lighting conditions larger larvae of
Orange-tip can be very well camouflaged. These two different defence mechanisms are not
mutually exclusive and each may come into play under different conditions of lighting, larval
age and/or food-plant availability. For disguise the larvae make use of double-countershading
in what Süffert (1932) called the ‘two-surface effect’. Here I briefly describe its mechanism
along with that of the better-known ordinary (single) countershading. Photographs are shown
of both.
BOOK REVIEW The Last Butterflies – A scientist’s quest to save a rare and vanishing creature by Nick Haddad
By: ADRIAN SPALDING
Page: 203–204
Type: Book Review
BOOK REVIEW Emperors, Admirals & Chimney Sweepers – The weird and wonderful names of butterflies and moths by Peter Marren
By: ADRIAN SPALDING
Page: 205–206
Type: Book Review