Welsh Journals

MIGRATION RECORDS (LEPIDOPTERA) WALES, 1956 T. A W. DAvis [Records that have already appeared in Nature in Wales are not repeated.] THE 1956 season, in common with the rest of Britain, was a bad one, for immigrant butterflies and moths of all species except Con- volvulus and Death's Head Hawk Moths (Herse convolvuli and Acherontia atropos), and only the latter was reported in Wales. The following notes compiled mainly from records published in Nature in Wales Vol. 2, pp. 314-315, 357-358, show the numbers of each species reported in each county. Details are given in the case of additional records. Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui (L.)). One, St. Ishmael's, Pembs., on 17th October (H. Jenkins). Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta (L.)). One, possibly a hibernated specimen seen in March in Merioneth, otherwise not reported until 11th July or later than 24th September. One, Cards. seven, Pembs. Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus (Geoff. in Foure.)). One, Pembs. on 22nd August. Death's-Head Hawk Moth (Acherontia atropos (L.)). One, Caerns. one, Merioneth, both in September and one, Pembs., at Marloes in mid-October (R. Martin). Humming-bird Hawk Moth (Macroglossa stellatarum L.). Two, Pembs., one in July and the other in August. Silver Y Moth (Plusia gamma (L.)). The immigrants that arrived at the end of May seem to have passed on, since none were seen in south-west Pembrokeshire after 14th June until 22nd July, but they were found in north Cardiganshire mainly between 18th and 23rd June, nearly all worn specimens. Few can have bred success- fully as they were extremely scarce in late summer and autumn (except for the 42 on Skomer I. on 24th September, which may have been migrants). Eighteen, Cards. seventy-five, Pembs., including three in October and one on 10th November at St. Ishmaels (T.A.W.D.). Of the Pembrokeshire total, fifty-four were seen on the islands of Skomer and Middleholm off the west coast. South Mullock, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. February 9th, 1957.