Page:VCH Cornwall 1.djvu/266

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A HISTORY OF CORNWALL Leptomeris remutaria has occurred at Calstock, Liskeard, and Bodmin, but does not appear to be at all common. L. immutata has been taken up the valley of the Lynher. L. marginepunctata is plentiful locally all round the coast, and has been captured at Altarnun. L. ornata was recorded by Marshall from East Cornwall. L. imitaria has been obtained in some numbers at Looe, Mevagissey, Bodmin, Newquay, Scilly, and occasionally elsewhere. L. emutaria was captured by Marshall in East Cornwall. L. strigilaria was reported by Tellam, but there is no specimen in any available Cornish collection. Leucophthalmia pendularia has been taken twice near Liskeard. A single specimen of L. porata was captured in June, 1902, at Kilkhampton. It has also been recorded by Norgate from Tresco, Scilly. L. punctaria is also rare, but has been taken at Xrebartha and near Liskeard. It was also recorded from the county by Jenner Fust. L. trilinearia occurs sparingly and locally between the Bodmin Moors and the Tamar. Four specimens of L. annulata were taken at Looe in 1890 by Marryat. Calothysanis amata in 1901 was not uncommon about Ellbridge and near Callington, but has not been seen since 1903. GEOMETRIDAE Nemorta strlgata is common on old overgrown hedgebanks throughout the county, including Scilly. A single example of Euchloris pustulata was taken in July, 1900, near Calstock. E. vernaria is recorded by the Marquands and by Baily from the Penzance district. E. lactearla is widely scattered and in occasional seasons locally plentiful. The beautiful Geometra papilionaria is generally distributed, but does not appear to be common anywhere. Pseudoterpna pruinata is taken sparingly throughout the county. MONOCTENIADAE Erannis aescularia can scarcely be regarded yet as a dangerous pest on Cornish fruit trees, but like the winter moth it is widely spread and under favourable conditions might become very trouble- some. In 1901 eggs were found near Callington on two Czar plums and several neighbouring apple trees that were cankered. The following year eggs were found in some number on Czar plum trees at Launceston, and in 1902 the insect was evidently making headway in the Newquay and St. Columb district, as caterpillars were brought in from that neighbourhood by three different people. Since that year only two examples of the moth have been captured and no further eggs or larvae have been received. SELIDOSEMIDAE Optsthograptis notata is apparently very scarce, but has been taken at Looe, and by Tellam at Bodmin. 0. alternaria was recorded by Jenner Fust and has been captured at Liskeard. O. liturata has also been taken near Liskeard, and 0. clathrata at St. Keyne. 0. lutcolata is very common in most districts. Diastictis wauaria is occasionally obtained in the south-east of the county, but elsewhere has only been captured at Bodmin and Newquay. Ectropis luridata is recorded by Tellam from Dunmeer Wood, Bodmin, and has been taken near Altarnun. E. punctularia appears to be scarce, but specimens have been obtained at Liskeard, Bodmin, and from West Cornwall. E. biundularia is frequently taken between the Bodmin Moors and the Tamar and has been re- corded from Bodmin and Newquay. E. consonaria appears to be limited to the district round Bodmin and Doublebois. A single specimen of Deileptenia abietaria was taken in the Looe valley in July, 1899, and one by Baily at Paul, Penzance, in the early eighties. Cleora llckenaria is generally dis- tributed and locally common. Selidosema repandata occurs at Launceston, Bodmin, Newquay, Fal- mouth and Penzance. S. glabrarla is occasionally obtained at Millook, Newquay, and Looe, and stray specimens have been taken along the south coast. S. gemmaria is widely spread along the south, but apparently very local in the north of the county. Bupalus piniarius is obtained occasionally about the pine plantations near the Tamar and around Liskeard. B. atomarius is widely spread and not uncommon. Abraxas grossulariata is the well-known currant moth. Though an abundant insect all through the county the mischief done by the larvae to gooseberry and currant bushes is not as a rule very pronounced. In the west the larvae are almost never seen on Ribes at all, but occur in abundance on Euonymus, pennywort, and blackthorn, and are occasionally found on ivy. Complaints are received now and then of its appearance on currants in the east of the county and at Bodmin, and larvae are occasionally sent in for identification. Except in 1900, the writer, how- ever, has not seen a severe attack in the county. In 1903 the moth was fairly common at Tresco. A solitary example of A. sy/vata was captured on a brilliantly-lit window of the bungalow at Millook in July, 1905. A. adustata is occasionally taken in the eastern half of the county, but is apparently scarce. A. marginata is widely distributed and in some seasons fairly common. Pseudo- panthera punctata is sparingly scattered throughout the eastern woods and locally as far west as Penzance. P. bimaculata is captured occasionally in the south-eastern districts. Casual specimens 214