High-altitude migration of Psylloidea (Hemiptera) over England

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.

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)

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Colias hyale sareptensis Alphéraky, 1875, and its name-bearing type (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

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.