A further autumn record of the common quaker, Orthosia cerasi (Fabr.) (Lep.: Noctuidae)

1 Pages·2002·0.47 MB·English

by  Norman Hall

:
68 ENTOMOLOGIST'S RECORD,VOL. 114 25.iii.2002
The following comments can be made on the data in Table 1
OrthosiacerasiCommonQuaker
Intheperiod 1988to 1993emergenceappearstobeduringthefirstthreeweeksofMarch,with
anearlyappearancein 1990on23February. However,from 1997to2002,thenormappearsto
be the first two weeks ofFebruary with late-comers on 26 February in 2000 and 2 March in
1997. Thus, theredoes seemtobeacleartrendtowardsemergence approximately threeweeks
toamonthearlieroverthe 14yearsurveyperiod. However, theflightperiodendsconsistently
overthisperiod,between 12 and 18 May.
OrthosiagothicaHebrewCharacter
During 1998to 1993,emergencetakesplacebetween4and22March,withnoFebruaryreports;in
theperiod 1997to2002itisbetween21 Februaryand20March,withtwo ofthesixreportsduring
February.AswithO.cerasi,theremaybeatrendtowardsearlieremergence,thoughitislessclear
cutinthisspecies.Theendoftheflightperiodfallswithintherangeof12to28Mayinallyears.
OrthosiaincertaClouded Drab
AdultsappearconsistentlybetweenthesecondandthirdweeksofMarch(range6to22March)
except during 2002 when the first record was made on 25 February (nine days ahead ofthe
statedrange).Thisoneoddoccurrencemaybeaflukeandisnotstatisticallysignificant.Aswith
theprevioustwospecies,thereisnodiscernibleshiftintheendoftheflightperiod,lastrecords
falling intheperiod9to 26May throughoutthe 14years.
Xylocampaareola Early Grey
Although there is a wide range offirst dates, from 4 March to 2 April, there does not seem to
be a trend towards earlier emergence. The end ofthe flight period is, as in the other species
analysed, unaltered, fallingbetween 12 and26May.
This is all terribly unscientific and I am sure that my academic colleagues will
probably excommunicate me! However, it does appear that at least the Common
Quaker, and perhaps also the Hebrew Character, may be tending towards a generally
earlier emergence. It is ofinterest that, in spite ofthis, the end ofthe flight period is
unaltered for all the species studied; for the moths, like me, early retirement is
obviouslynoton! Ifthissnippetofinformationmotivatesotherstoapproachthematter
inamore scientificmannerIshallconsiderthisnotetohavebeenwellworthwriting-
ColinW. Plant, 14WestRoad,BishopsStortford,HertfordshireCM23 3QP(E-mail;
[email protected]).
A further autumn record ofthe Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi(Fabr.)
(Lep.: Noctuidae)
Brian Goodey (antea: 35) reported the occurrence ofa specimen ofOrthosia cerasi
(Fabr.) in South Essex on 16 October2001. 1 can addthatI caughtone inmy garden
in Earley, near Reading (O.S., grid reference SU 735710), almost exactly ten years
earlieron the nightof8-9 October 1991. The specimen is inmy collection.
My gardenmercury vapourtrap is notrunroutinely,butwasrunonthefournights
7 to 10 October 1991, producing the cerasi, expected autumnal species and one late
brood example of the pyralid Hypsopygia costalis (Fabr.) (on 9 October 1991).—
Norman Hall, 44 Harcourt Drive, Earley, Reading RG6 5TJ (E-mail;
[email protected]).