Atropos migrant insect review – mid June 2011

The weather during the first half of June was quite changeable; largely dry at the start and then unsettled with occasional showers. Strong north east winds at the start of the month aided the invasion of Rannoch Looper Itame brunneata.

The Odonata highlight was the continued showing of Dainty Damselfly Coenagrion scitulum on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. The directions are as follows: drive across the old road bridge and then find a suitable place to park. Follow the path on the north side of bridge west past pools under the new road bridge. View the north shore of pools. No migrant Odonata were reported although Norfolk Hawker Aeshna isoceles were still showing along the River Yare in Norfolk on 15 June and Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum were flying at Dagnam Park LNR, Harold Hill, near Romford, Essex on 14 June.

Migrant butterflies were restricted to Clouded Yellow Colias croceus, Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta and Painted Lady V. cardui. There were two Painted Lady recorded on Shetland on 9 June – on Mousa and Yell with double figure counts of Red Admiral at three sites on Shetland on 9th – 10th. Resident species like Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni and Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae have recently had a second brood; benefiting from the warm and dry spring. Mountain Ringlet Erebia epiphron was noted in Cumbria and Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia in Hampshire – both on the early date of 3 June.

The influx of Rannoch Looper dominated the first half of the month with widespread sightings (from Cornwall to Suffolk) and inland to Harlow, Essex, various sites in Surrey and Trench Wood, Worcestershire – the latter the first County record. The highest counts were made in Kent where 21 were recorded at Hamstreet on 4th, 57 at Sissinghurst on 6th and 46 at Densole on 13th. Associated with this movement were three Ortholepis betulae in Suffolk on the night of 4th – the first modern County records.

Rarer immigrant moths were in short supply. The most exciting captures included Orache Moth Trachea atriplicis at Bracklesham, West Sussex on 15th (D. Lee); a pristine Death’s Head Hawk-moth Acherontia atropos at Lizard, Cornwall (M. Tunmore) and a Cosmopolitan Mythimna loreyi at Lymington, Hampshire – both on the night of 13th. The rare tropical pyralid Antigastra catalaunalis was noted at Pannel Valley, East Sussex (I. Hunter).

Of the more regular immigrants, there was an obvious arrival of Gem Orthonama obstipata with records from Dorset and Kent and the odd Pearly Underwing Peridroma saucia around, although very low numbers of commoner immigrants like Dark Sword-grass Agrotis ipsilon and Silver Y Autographa gamma.

Atropos would like to thank you for your contributions to the Flight Arrivals webpage. Please keep posting your migrant news and we look forward to an exciting second half of June.