1994 - The Vasculum

THE VASCULUM
APRIL 1994
1
ISSN 0049-5891
Vol. 79. No. 1 Price £6-00 per annum
Edited by:
A. Coles and L Jessop
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery, Borough Road, Sunderland.
BY THE WAY
Secretaries of societies and other contributors to the Vasculum should send their notes to the
Editors before 15 June 1994
JACK NEWTON'S COLLECTION AND LIBRARY
Most of our members who are interested in Lepidoptera will know of Jack Newton, although few
of us met him: he left the North East in 1944 to live in Gloucestershire, although he maintained
contacts in this area and subscribed to the N.N.U. until this year.
Jack's son-in-law telephoned me recently to let me know that Jack now lives in a nursing home
and is sadly in declining health. Due to his move the family has found it necessary to dispose of
his collections and library.
The collections, which are very strong in microlepidoptera, have been donated to Reading
Museum, where they will be maintained as a distinct unit. The library is to be sold: I understand
that it includes a complete run of The Vasculum from volume 1-46, bound in nine volumes (plus
further issues, unbound) as well as books on the natural history of the North-east as well as
entomological books and journals. If you think you may be interested in buying any of the books
or journals, please contact Mr Dennis Ruston, 20 Newells Hedge, Pitstone, near Leighton
Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 9RB. Or telephone 0296 668904.
L. Jessop

FURTHER WILDLIFE RECORDING BY CAR
Gordon Simpson, 2 Coniston Avenue, West Auckland, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham DL14 9LL
In The Vasculum 78(2) I explained how records could be collected on a tetrad basis whilst driving
around the countryside by car. Recording whilst driving gives an incomplete picture of mammal
distribution but it enables the recorder to cover a much larger area. For many species of mammal
the best time to record them alive is before 8 o'clock on Spring to Autumn mornings. An
afternoon return visit along a morning route seldom adds any live records.
The recording of mammal corpses from road casualties, especially of hedgehogs, reveals the
presence of the animals often in unexpected habitats. How the animal populations cope with such
an unnatural toll is another subject.
RABBITS
In North-east England the density of rabbit populations varies considerably. This may be due to
the wide open spaces formed by intensive farming, control by some landowners but not others,
poor habitat, or unsuitability of the soil for burrowing. I have seen them on open moorland using
road culverts as a home. Usually rabbits are seen on the less intensively farmed land near woods
and shrub thickets. Woods form another favoured habitat, with tree roots an added protection for
their burrows. Rabbit populations are sparse on Molinia moorland: this may be due to poor
feeding or the difficulty in burrowing in the gleyed soils usually encountered under Molinia.
HEDGEHOGS (Fig.1)
The hedgehog is found most commonly in the vicinity of farmland and conurbations. Moorland
and forests on moorland are rarely used. These variations in populations are probably due to the
snail, slug and worm populations being higher on lower-lying, more fertile farmland than on the
poor soils of high moorland. Care should be taken when recording hedgehog corpses: the fur of a
well-flattened rabbit corpse following a shower of rain frequently appears prickly when viewed
from a car.
FOXES (Fig.2)
Recording of foxes by car does not produce such high numbers of records as for moles, rabbits
and hedgehogs. It is surprising how many foxes are still active early in the morning and a few are
killed by vehicles. The advantage of using a car for recording is that large areas of land can be
covered more easily. I suspect that foxes and other carrion feeders are attracted to roads due to the
road casualties providing an easy meal. A fair number of my records emanate from the distinctive
droppings tested reluctantly for their smell.
DEER (Fig.3)
With the exception of a Sika deer reported shot in Kielder Forest (no doubt an escape from a deer
farm) I have no records for deer other than roe. Roe deer favour dense forests but the population
in North-east England is so high that any quiet thicket is likely to contain them. Road casualties
are uncommon but one on the A66 near Sadberge and another on the A66 west of North
Stainmore prove the exception to
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the rule. Live roe deer can be seen early in the morning feeding near woodland edges or in forest
rides. They do not appear to consider vehicles as much a threat as human beings a car therefore,
can be a distinct aid to deer watching.
Fig. 1 Roadside records of hedgehogs in North-east England, recorded by G. Simpson
6070809000102030405060
Fig. 2 Roadside records of fox in North-east England, recorded by G. Simpson
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Fig. 3 Roadside records of roe deer in North-east England, recorded by G. Simpson
THE TRUFFLES OF NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM
A.W. Legg. 36 Carleton Drive, Darlington, County Durham DL3 9QP
Introduction
In a recent short article (1993, Vasculum 77(4)) the author drew attention to the paucity of truffle
records for VC66, suggested reasons for this shortage, and hinted at simple, practical ways in
which the list might be extended. Since the article was submitted, and, in one case as a direct
result of its publication, two new truffle records have been made for the vice-county.
Later that year, a new Revision of British Truffles was published (Pegler et al, 1993) which
presents a thorough taxonomic review of the various groups. This text contains, in addition,
information on specimens housed in the herbaria of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and
Edinburgh which allows a tentative account of the truffles of Northumberland and Durham to be
compiled. The present article gives a brief sketch of the taxonomic revision and presents a list of
known records to date under the revised headings. It gives, in addition, a list of other taxa which
according to distributional data, might very well be found in one or more of the three vicecounties
of our region.
4

Taxonomic changes
Naturalists are often heard to complain of changes in nomenclature within their own fields of
interest, perhaps none more so than mycologists. Such complaints are understandable particularly
as the older one becomes, the more difficult it is to learn and assimilate such changes. It is
worthwhile remembering, however, that nature has never classified herself, that a static system of
names, may well be a sign of stagnation, and that while change is by no means synonymous with
progress, no progress is likely to be made unless meaningful change occurs.
The English word "Truffle" has no scientific status but provides a very useful label for linking
fungi of several unrelated groups for practical purposes. A truffle is here defined as a fungus that
consists of a closed, roughly spherical structure containing a fertile part and which usually
develops in surface layers of soil, humus or litter.
Until very recently many truffle families have been given the additional rank of order because of
doubts about their relationships to fungi of the same class. Largely on the evidence of
microscopic characters, it is now recognised that many truffles are likely to be evolutionarily
abnormal fungi closely related to well-known epigeous groups and that this recognition should be
reflected in taxonomic redisposition.
For example, the family Hydnangiaceae contains a single British genus, Hydnangium, with one
species, Hydnangium cameum, probably imported with Eucalyptus. This has many characters
(including spiny pink spores) in common with the familiar toadstool genus Laccaria, a member of
the family Tricholomataceae of the order Agaricales. Hydnangium used to be placed in the
basidiomycete truffle order Hymenogastrales, a name now considered redundant. It is still a
matter of contention whether Hydnangiaceae should be subsumed under Tricholomataceae or
whether a proposed family Laccariaceae be accepted to include it (Kuhner 1980, Julich 1981,
Pegler & Young, 1984). Similar problems affect many of the fungi listed here but need not detain
us: names will always change but the fungi concerned will not be affected in the least.
Existing records
"PEA TRUFFLES"
ZYGOMYCOTINA: ENDOGONALES: ENDOGONACEAE:
Glomus microcarpum Tul. & C. Tul.
1. Cornhill (VC68) 24.vi.1955 (RM Godfrey), in herb. K.
TRUE TRUFFLES
ASCOMYCOTINA: ELAPHOMYCETALES: ELAPHOMYCETACEAE:
Elaphomyces granulatus Fr.
1. Near Newcastle upon Tyne (VC67) 15iv.1909, on sandy soil, ex herb.
Rea, in herb K.
2. Redford, Hamsterley Forest (VC66) ca. 1980, in a garden (C.Stephenson).
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Elaphomyces muricatus Fr.
1.Ravensworth estate (VC66) ("G.W.T.') quoted by Durkin (1987).
ASCOMYCOTINA: TUBERALES: TUBERACEAE:
Tuber borchii Vittad.
1. Sheraton (VC66) 7.ix.1991, in rich soil under Salix (A. Whitwell & A
Weir), in herb. K.
Tuber rufum Pico: Fr.
1.Sunderland (VC66) viii.1992, by beech-hedge in a garden, det. A.W. Legg via L
Jessop, in herb. K.
FALSE TRUFFLES
BASIDIOMYCOTINA:CORTINARIALES: HYMENOGASTERACEAE:
Hymenogaster tener Berk. & Br.
1. Flatts Wood, Barnard Castle (VC66), 10.xi.1984, under Quercus (A.W.
Legg), rn herb K.
2. Baydale, Darlington (VC66)16.vi.1992, deciduous woodland, near Quercus (A.W.
Legg), in herb. K.
Hymenogaster vulgarisJu\. apud Berk. & Br.
1. Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne (VC67) 26.vi.1955, under Ulmus (R.M.Godfrey
)(Hawker 1146) in herb. K.
Species likely to be found
This section contains a list of truffle species which, according to distributional data, may very
well be found in our region. It is stressed, however, that the information on which the list is based
is extremely sketchy but the best currently available. Very few people actively search for truffles
and so, apart from one area, very little is known about their frequency and distribution in the
British Isles. The exception is in the south-west of England, especially around Bristol which was
extensively surveyed by Berkely and Broome between 1846 and 1875 and again by the late
Professor LE. Hawker and her students in 1948-53. It is from the rich variety of species and
impressive quantity of collections made by these collectors that we may extrapolate the
probability of a wealth of underground treasure waiting to be unearthed elsewhere! It is worth
recalling that the collection of T. borchii (q.v.) from VC66 in 1991 represents the only known
British record from anywhere north of Gloucester and Powys. It is therefore emphasised that the
list which follows should not be taken as exhaustive.
Fungi are listed according to the same arrangement as above but additional information is offered
in the hope that readers who find truffles accidentally may have some inkling of the identity and
importance of their finds. If others are led to an active search of particular habitats, then so much
the better. The author is always happy to evamine material sent to him
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For each fungus the following information is given:
1. taxonomic affinities
2. known distribution
3. brief description
4. notes on habitat
ENDOGONACEAE
ZYGOMYCOTINA
ENDOGONALES
Endogone flammicoma Trappe & Gerdem
Known from England only as far north as Shropshire and Norfolk but also from Tayside in
Scotland.
Dirty-white, irregularly subglobose, up to 25 mm in diameter.
On the surface as well as to a depth of 5 cm in soil.
Endogone lactiflava Berk. & Br.
Known from Derbyshire, Westmorland and Tayside.
Resembling E. flammicoma but becoming red-brown at maturity; reaches 20 mm in diameter and
is found to a depth of 5 cm.
Under moss and in association with Fagus, Quercus, Larix, Picea, Pinus and Taxus.
Glomus fuegianum (Speg.) Gerdem. & Trappe
Known from Cumbria and Yorkshire and, especially, Derbyshire.
White becoming dark buff, irregularly-shaped, up to 5 mm in diameter, attached to or encircling,
sometimes incorporating plant material on the soil surface.
Associated particularly with dead culms and debris of Nardus stricta but also found with
Sphagnum, Molinia etc.
HEVELLACEAE
ASCOMYCOTINA
PEZIZALES
Hydronytra tulasnei( Berk.) Berk. & Br
Known from Cheshire, Strathclyde and Tayside.
Reddish-brown sometimes becoming yellowish when dry, irregularly-shaped with a musty smell,
1.5-4 cm in diameter, found in sandy soil to a depth of 10 cm.
Found with a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees from late summer onwards.
Hydronytra michaelis (Fischer) Trappe
Known from Yorkshire and the Borders.
Yellow to orange-brown, smelling unpleasant and reaching about 2 cm in diameter.
Found with coniferous trees to a depth of 8 cm and said to mature throughout the year.
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Hydronytra confusa Spooner
Known from Cheshire and Cumbria.
Greyish to reddish brown and apparently hollow, up to 2 cm in diameter.
Recently-described with unknown affinities, though the Cumbrian specimen was found with
Picea.
PYRONEMATACEAE
Stephensia bombycina (Vittad.) Tul. & C. Tul.
Known from Yorkshire and the Central Region of Scotland.
Pale to reddish brown with a paler tomentum; with a strong, unpleasant smell; up to 2 cm in
diameter.
Found usually with Larix but also with other coniferous and deciduous trees.
TERFEZIACEAE
Hydnobolites cerebriformis Tul. & C. Tul.
Found so far no further north than York.
Whitish at first but later yellowish to orange-brown; rarely exceeding 6 cm in diameter.
Usually with Fagus, normally maturing in autumn.
TUBERACEAE
Tuber aestivum Vittad. (Summer Truffle)
Known from North Yorkshire and Cumbria as well as Lothian.
Large, firm, solid, blackish-brown, conspicuously warted; sometimes confused with Tuber
melanosporum, the truffle of commerce which is not British.
With deciduous trees, most commonly Fagus, on calcareous soils;
develops in surface layers, may reach 9 cm in diameter, maturing in late summer or autumn.
Tuber maculatum Vittad.
Known from Yorkshire, Strathclyde and Tayside.
Pale but usually with brown or reddish-brown patches; about 2 cm in
diameter.
Found with deciduous and coniferous trees, maturing during the autumn.
Tuber dryophilum Tul. & C. Tul.
Known from Yorkshire and Lothian.
Pale at first becoming yellow to reddish-brown; up to 15 mm in diameter.
Usually with Fagus or Quercus though Scottish collections have been with
Pinus.
Tuber rapaeodorum Tul. & C. Tul.
Known from Cumbria and Tayside.
Yellowish, with a strong smell in older specimens (the name means "smelling of turnips"); up to
12 mm in diameter.
In sandy soils, usually with frondose trees; maturing in late summer or autumn.
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HYDNANGIACEAE
BASIDIOMYCOTINA
AGARICALES
Hydnangium cameum Wallroth apud Klotzsch
Collected in England no further north than Surrey but also from Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh,
Glasgow and Galloway.
With an evanescent peridium which soon exposes the pinkish peridium;irregular in shape
reaching 2.5 cm in diameter.
An exotic species associated with Eucalyptus and found in glasshouses and conservatories.
MELANOGASTERACEAE
Melanogaster broomeianus Berk. apud Tul.
Cited specimens are from no further north than Cambridgeshire in the east and Gwynnedd in the
west but the author has personally seen a number of specimens unearthed from Anston Stones
Wood near Doncaster where they were growing in close association with roots of Fagus.
Yellowish brown and irregularly shaped, growing to about 4 cm in diameter autumnal.
STEREALES.
STEPHANOSPORACEAE
Stephanospora caroticolor (Berk.) Pat.
Most northerly collection from Forge Valley near Scarborough.
Bright carrot red at maturity; roughly globose and reaching 2 cm in diameter.
Found usually with Taxus, maturing in late summer or autumn.
RHIZOPOGONACEAE
BOLETALES
Rhizopogon roseolus (Corda) T.M. Fries
Known from Lancashire and Midlothian.
White to yellowish cream but discolouring pink on exposure to the air;usually reaching 3 cm in
diameter.
Found with Pinus\o about 8 cm deep in the soil.
References
Durkin, J., 1987 Fungus Flora of Durham (unpublished computer printout).
Julich, W., 1981. Higher taxa of Basidiomycetes. Bibl Mycol. 85: pp. 485.
Pegler, D., Spooner, B.M. & Young, T.W.K., 1993. British Truffles: A Revision of British
Hypogeous Fungi. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.
9

CORRECTIONS TO "THE MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND
AND DURHAM, PART 2:MICROLEPIDOPTERA"
BY T.C. Dunn & J.D. Parrack
The following corrections are to Page 196:
The wing patterns of Caryocolum kroesmaniella H-S. (No. 836) and Caryocolum huebneri Haw.
(No. 837) are so similar, even with fresh specimens, that it is only possible to be certain of
identification with trapped insects, which are usually somewhat rubbed, by dissecting the
genitalia. For this test, I sent the specimens to Eric Bradford, who is an expert at this technique.
For the two specimens listed as C. huebneri, the only illustration available at the time was in
Pierce and Metcalf's Genitalia of the Tineina, labelled for that species. Pierce expressed his
failure, after the illustration, to obtain a specimen of C. kroesmaniella for dissection.
By the time Mr Bradford had received the two specimens of C. kroesmanniella, at the later date of
1991, he had obtained a copy of the Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) 57(3), a
research revision of the taxonomy of Caryocolum by Peter Huemer. Illustrations of genitalia of
both species in this latter volume show that the illustration in Pierce & Metcalf was labelled
incorrectly and it was actually of C. kroesmanieila.
For this reason all four records under numbers 836 and 837 should be of Caryocolum
kroesmaniella. Owners of Part 2 of Moths and Butterflies. .. should therefore delete the reference
to C. huebneri altogether and include the records under No. 836.
T.C. Dunn
BOTANICAL NOTES FROM THE DURHAM ADVERTISER
S. Robbins. Burn Valley Lodge, Elwick Road, Hartlepool, Cleveland.
Exhibition of the Flora of the County of Durham, 1848
In an earlier article ( The Vasculum 76[4]) I wrote about the collecting of native plants for early
flower shows. These shows included classes especially for wild plants. One collector was Mr J.
Wells of Durham, who exhibited at shows in Durham and Darlington. Mr Wells seems to have
spent much of his time collecting, as he advertised an "Exhibition of the Flora of the County of
Durham" in 1848. The advertisement in the Durham Advertiser for the 18 October appealed to the
"nobility, clergy and gentry" to see the display being held at the Exhibition Room, Sadler Street,
Durham on the 23 October.
The advertisement listed the classes of the plant family included in the display. These were:
Equisetums (Horse-tails); Lycopodiums (Club Mosses) in pots and as dry specimens; Ferns in
pots and as dry specimens; Lichens; Grasses in sheaf (sic) and as dried specimens; Fossil Flora in
cases.
Wells highlighted the ferns, which he believed to be the "most complete collection" with "some of
the rarest ferns in the kingdom" collected that season. The grasses were also advertised as being
the best number and variety ever collected.
10

In addition, the display included the bases of various useful products of plants used in the service
of man, from the Arts, Commerce, Medecine or in Domestic Economy. The show was open 10
am-4 pm and 7 9 pm. Admission for Ladies and Gentlemen cost 1/(5p.) and for the Working
Class 6d. (2.5p.).
A report of the show appeared in the horticultural column of the Durham Advertiser later in the
month. Described as an exhibition of British Plants, the reporter was surprised that all had been
collected in County Durham within a two-year period. It contained "..rare and curious plants,
fungi, vegetable fossils and monstrosities..". The reporter was especially impressed with the ferns,
which included live specimens of Woodsia hyperborea [now W. alpina ed] and W. ilvensis. There
seems to have been some criticism that the specimens were badly displayed and not laid out
systematically in families. The ferns, in particular, were criticised because specimens were
unnamed and locality data missing. Despite this, the reporter believed the display to be a credit
and an encouragement to young people: he hoped it would be on public view on another day.
References
Durham Advertiser 13 October and 3 November 1848.
Reports of the plunder of the Ladies Slipper Orchid from Castle Eden Dene
In 1849 the Durham Advertiser gives an interesting glimpse into the devastation caused to a rare
plant by unthinking collectors. It reported (29 June) that the Ladies Slipper Orchid, which had
once been plentiful in Castle Eden Dene, was being rarely seen because of rapacious collectors.
The species could evidently be seen in several gardens in the area: although plants were being
imported from Belgium and America, those from Castle Eden were held in higher esteem.
The owners of Castle Eden Dene at that time, the Burdon family, allowed members of the public
to visit on specified days during the week. Individuals applied for entry at the gate and larger
organised parties were allowed in after receiving permission from the Burdons. There are
numerous references in the Hartlepool newspapers to church groups, institutes and parties visiting
the Dene. In August 1857 it was closed because of the misconduct of a party from Hartlepool,
who had caused wanton destruction: specialists could still apply for a pass (Sunderland News 29
August 1857).
On 15 May 1856 Rowland Burdon told the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club about the theft of
plants from the Dene. Thousands of people visited each year and "many hundreds annually
plundered it of its rare and beautiful inmates". People he described as "moss troopers", armed
with large tins and curious knives, took many plants including ferns which were popular at that
time.
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Lepidoptera new to Gainford in 1993
RECORDS
GEOMETRIDAE
Timandra griseata (Blood-vein) 21 .vi. (1 ).
Epirrita autumnata (Autumnal Moth) 3.xi. (1).
Eupithecia goosensiata (Ling Pug) 10.vi. (1). Normally resides on moorland.
LYMANTRIIDAE
Leucoma salicis (White Satin) l.vili. (1 male).
ARCTIIDAE
Diaphora mendica (Muslin Moth) 28.v. (1 male).
NOCTUIDAE
Brachionycha sphinx (The Sprawler) 25.x. (1); 28.x. (2); 2.xi. (1).
Conistra ligula (Dark Chestnut) 26.x. (1); 7.xi. (1).
Apamea unanimis (Small Clouded Bnndle) 7.vi. (1)
Apamea scolopacina (Slender Brindle) 1 .viii. (1)
Autographa bractea (Gold Spangle) 3.viii. (1); 18.viii. (1)
HESPERIIDAE
Thymelicus sylvestris (Small Skipper): two females observed 1.viii. in a roadside verge at Selaby
Basses near Gainsford (Grid Ref. NZ158176).
Sightings of Lepidoptera in areas other than Gainford include a Eupithecia simpliciata (Plain Pug)
at Deal Sands (Grid Ref. NZ533243) on 1 .viii., and numerous maleTheria primaria (Early Moth)
at Morton Tinmouth near West Auckland (Grid Ref. NZ189213) on 7.ii.
R. Woods
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THE VASCULUM
JULY 1994
13
ISSN 0049-5891
Vol 79 No 2 Price £6.00 per annum
Edited by:
A. COLES and L. JESSOP
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery. Borouah Road. Sunderland.
BY THE WAY
Secretaries of societies and other contributors to The Vasculum should send their notes to the
Editors before 15 September 1994
Editorial
We recently had a letter from Tom Dunn, saying he has had one or two complaints from members
about what they call a "deterioration in the standard and interest of The Vasculum". As we have
not received any such complaints ourselves this came as a bit of a bolt from the blue. Of course
we welcome positive criticism as well as suggestions for improving the journal, but it should be
directed at us -its no good writing to the bus company when the trains run late!
As editors, we have looked for ways to improve the journal. Moving to a twelve-page format
instead of eight pages gives us the scope to include figures and tables as well as text, and to
increase the size of the lettering in the text. All of the journal is now typed on to computer by us
and processed by the Natural History Society of Northumbria using a desk-top publisher:

this has resulted in very considerable savings in the printing costs of the journal (which in turn
has allowed the subscription rates to the N.N.U. to be held down), but it has had the disadvantage
that some issues have been a little delayed. It is also an extremely time-consuming task for us,
especially if there is extensive editing to be done on the copy before it can be published, and one
of us has hardly had a Vasculum free lunch break for the last few years.
As regards contents, we very much rely on what is submitted. There is a small but dedicated band
of people who supply copy on a regular basis, but this only just gives us enough material to fill
each issue, and there is very rarely any to spare.
The answer really lies in your own pens. For instance, despite the undoubted interest in birds and
flowering plants in this area, there is virtually no copy sent to us on those groups. It is also rare to
receive any material on geology, despite its importance in this region. If any member would care
to volunteer to write regular articles on interesting birds or plants, we would welcome their
services.
L. Jessop
Errata
One complaint we have received is about one or two slips that have crept into recent issues, and
which need to be corrected.
Volume 78(4) pp 75-75. The new county record from this foray which should have been marked
with an asterisk was Coprinus martinii.
Volume 79(1) p.5, para 3, line 4. The phrase "evolutionarily abnormal fungi"
should read "evolutionarily advanced fungi".
Volume 79(1) p.6. Under FALSE TRUFFLES, BASIDIOMYCOTINA etc. The
following item was missed out in error:
Melanogaster ambiguus (Vittad.) Tul.
1. Doxford Park, Sunderland (VC66), vi.1991, flowerbed (L Stephenson),
det. A.W. Legg, in herb. K.
We apologise to our readers, and to A.W. Legg in particular, for these errors.
14
Editors

What has happened to the Golden Plusia?
The moth, Polychrysia moneta Fab., more commonly known as the Golden Plusia, has pursued a
somewhat unusual distribution in our counties since its recorded arrival at Hart in south Durham
in 1919 (C. Nicholson). Its fluctuations in abundance have been described by Dunn & Parrack in
The Moths and Butterflies of Northumberland and Durham Part 1 (1986). That account ended by
the statement that it appeared to become more numerous again in the early 1980's in the lower
Wear valley. The records at that time give it as seen at Sacriston (R. Woods), captured in the
Rothamsted trap at Chester-le-Street on 2 August 1986, and seen at Lumley in August 1988 by D.
Wynn.
Since then we have neither seen nor heard of it in any of our gardens where it tends to favour
delphiniums as foodplants when numbers are high. Has anyone seen it during the intervening
years? If so we would very much like to know about it. If not, what has happened? Perhaps it has
retreated again to its continental habitats and in this case has any member encountered it during
his holiday travels? It would appear to be rather odd for it to do so during a spell of increased
global temperature and a series of warm summers.
T.C. Dunn
The Moths and Butterflies of Malton
Terry Coult. 4 Officials Row, Malton, Lanchester, DH7 OTH
Recording was carried out between 1988 and 1993 using a light trap in the garden of 4 Officials
Row Malton, near Lanchester (NZ180461), and using a portable light trap on the Durham
Wildlife Trust, Malton Nature Reserve. Opportunistic collecting was also carried out in the
immediate surrounding area of Malton using a hand net.
All species except for the very obvious ones were verified by Tom Dunn, Michael Mann and Nick
Cook. All anomalous records were verified by Tom Dunn, who also determined all of the micro
moths. Some of the specimens were retained by Tom Dunn and Michael Mann, others were
photographed and released.
A number of rare or notable species were recorded, such as Orthosia populeti Fab. (The Lead
Coloured Drab), Tethea ocularis Hubn. (The Figure of Eighty), Parastichtis suspecta Hubn. (The
Suspected), Acronicta alni L.
15

(The Alder Moth), Syncopacma sangiella Staint. and Endothenia nigricostana Haw. These and
others were recorded only once or twice.
Some species were recorded only rarely but for known reasons. Colias croceus Geof. (The
Clouded Yellow) occurred only in the invasion years of 1983 and 1992, Macroglossum
stellatarum (The Humming Bird Hawkmoth) in 1992. More local invasions also occur, Celastrina
argiolus L. ssp. brifanna Ver. (The Holly Blue) arrived in 1992 in the garden at No. 12 Officials
Row, but was not seen in 1993. Callophrys rubi L. (The Green Hairstreak) was recorded only
twice in 1990, during a period of local expansion, the nearest known colony being about three
miles away. A more successful invasion was staged by Thymelicus sylvesfris Poda (The Small
Skipper), first recorded on the Malton reserve in 1990, spreading and establishing itself as part of
a northward expansion.
A few species are unusual in that the caterpillar food plant is not present or very uncommon.
Thera juniperata L. (The Juniper Carpet) turned up in small numbers most years despite the
nearest "wild" juniper being about two miles away, probably as a result of imports on garden
shrubs. A single Dyscia fagaria Thunb. (The Grey Scalloped Bar) was taken in 1989, a few tiny
patches of the food plant, heather, are remnant in the area and are presumably the source of the
specimen.
Except for the butterflies, almost no recording was done of species that do not come to light. For
example the first specimen of Mormo maura L. (The Old Lady) was taken from the radiator grill
of my car, as a result other specimens were hand netted on the Malton river bridge. Archiearis
parthenias L. (The Orange Underwing) is common in all the birches but is under-recorded
because of its daytime flight in March. I have netted Theria primaria Haw. (The Early Moth) on a
snowy winter night, not the most obvious time to collect.
Even oversuch a short period of time it is possible to see new species arrive, witness the Small
Skipper, and more recently Amphipyra berbera svenssoni Fletch. (Svensson's Copper Underwing)
and Panemeria tenebrata Scop. (The Small Yellow Underwing). Because the latter species is so
small, and totally diurnal it may have been overlooked.
With so many gaps in recording and with such a variety of habitats, there is great potential for
further recording at Malton.
16

Eriocraniidae Glyphipterigidae
Eriocrania sangii Glyphipterix simpliciella
Eriocrania semipurpurelfa Glyphipterix fuscovindella
Eriocrania subpurpurella Glyphipterix thrasonella
Hepialidae Yponomeutidae
Hepialus humuli Ghost Moth Argyresthia brockeella
Hepialus sylvina Orange Swift Argyresthia goedartella
Hepialus hecta Gold Swift Argyresthia curvella
Hepialus lupulinus Common Swift Argyresthia conjugella Apple Fruit Moth
Hepialus fusconebulosa Map-winged Swift Argyresthia semifusca
Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine
Nepticulidae Yponomeuta padella Orchard Ermine
Trifurcula immundella Swammerdamia compunctella
Stigmella oxyacanthella Paraswammerdamia lutarea
Stigmella nylandriella Cedestis gysseleniella
Cedestis subfasciella
Tischeriidae Ypsolopha dentella Honeysuckle Moth
Tischeria marginea Ypsolopha scabrella
Ypsolopha parenthesella
Incurvariidae
Nematopogon swammerdamella
Plutella xylostella Diamond Backed
Moth
Nematopogon schwarziellus
Nemophora degeerella
Plutella porrectella
Schreckensteiniidae
Zygaenidae Schreckensteinia festaliella
Zygaena filipendulae anglicola Six-spot Burnet Coleophoridae
Zygaena lonicerae latomarginata Narrow-bordered
Five-spot Bumet
Coleophora lutipennella
Coleophora flavipennella
Coleophora mayrella
Coleophora laricella Larch Case-bearer
Tineidae Coleophora lixella
Triaxomera fulvimitrella Coleophora albicosta
Tinea semifulvella Coleophora discordelia
Lyonetiidae Coleophora caespititiella
Lyonetia clerkella Apple Leaf Miner Elachistidae
Elachista atricomella
Gracillariiidae Elachista luticomella
Caloptilia elongella Elachista albifrontella
Caloptilia betulicola Elachista canapennella
Aspilapteryx tnngipennella Elachista rufocinerea
Paromix torquillella Elachista cerusella
Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae
Phyllonorycter nigrescentella
Elachista argentella
Choreutidae Oecophoridae
Anthophila fabriciana Nettle Tap Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House Moth
17

Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered
House Moth
Isotnas rectifasciana
Eulia ministrana
Diumea fagella Cnephasia asseclana Flax Tortrix
Agonopterix ciliella Cnephasia stephensiana Grey Tortrix
Agonopterix alstroemeriana Cnephasia incertana Light Grey Tortrix
Agonopterix arenella Tortricodes altemella
Agonopterix ocellana Exapate congelatella
Agonopterix angelicella Neosphaleroptera nubilaria
Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix
Gelechiidae Croesia forsskaleana
Metzneria metzneriella Aden's laterana
Eulamprotes atrella Acleris comariana Strawberry Tortrix
Exoteleia dodecella Aden's rhombana Rhomboid Tortrix
Teleiodes notatella Acleris variegana Garden Rose Tortrix
Teleiopsis affinis Acleris literana
Bryotropha affinis Acleris emargana
Bryotropha terrella Acleris hastiana
Mirificarma mulinella Acleris sparsana
Aroga velocella Olethreutes schuiziana
Neofaculta ericetella
Caryocolum fratemella
Olethreutes lacunana
Caryocolum blandella Hedya dimidioalba Marbled Orchard
Tortrix
Caryocolum tricolorella Orthotaenia undulana
Syncopacma sangiella Apotomis turbidana
Syncopacma cinctella Apotomis betuletana
Acompsi'a cinerella Endothenia nigricostana
Hypatima rhomboidella Bactra lancealana
Momphidae Ancylis geminana
Mompha raschkiella Ancylis badiana
Blastodacna hellerella Epinotia ramella
Cochylidae Epinotia tetraquetrana
Cochlymorpha straminea Epinotia nisella
Agapeta hamana Epinotia cruciana Willow Tortrix
Aethes cnicana Epinotia tngonella
Eupoecilia angustana Epinotia caprana
Tortricidae Epinotia brunnichana
Pandemis cerasana Barred Fruit-tree
Tortrix
Zeiraphera ratzburgiana
Zeiraphera isertana
Gypsonoma dealbana
Epiblema cynosbateila
Pandemis cinnamomeana Epiblema uddmanniana Bramble Shoot Moth
Pandemis heparana Dark Fruit-tree
Tortrix
Epiblema trimaculana
Syndemis musculana Epiblema roborana
Aphelia paleana Timothy Tortrix Epiblema scutulana
Aphelia unitana Eucosma hohenwartiana
Clepsis consimilana Eucosma cana
Lozotaenia forsterana Lathronympha strigana
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana Cydia succedana
18

Dichrorampha sedatana Lycaenidae
Callophrys rubi Green Hairstreak
Alucitidae Lycaena phlaeas Small Copper
Alucita hexadactyla Twenty Plume Moth Polyommatus icarus Common
Blue
Pyralidae Celastrina argiolus britanna
Holly Blue
Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer
Nymphalidae
Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral
Crambus lathoniellus Cynthia cardui Painted Lady
Agriphila straminella Aglais urticae Small Tortoiseshell
Agriphila tristella
Catoptria falsella Inachis io Peacock
Acentria nivea Water Veneer
Scoparia pyralella Satyridae
Scoparia ambigualis Lasiommata megera Wall
Scoparia ambigualis Maniola jurtina Meadow Brown
Eudonia angustea Coenonympha pamphilus Small Heath
Nymphula nymphaeata Brown China-mark Lasiocampidae
Evergestis forficalis Garden Pebble Poecilocampa populi December Moth
Pyrausta cespitalis
Eurrhypara hortulata Small Magpie Drepanidae
Udea lutealis Drepana falcatana Pebble Hook-tip
Udea prunalis Cilix glaucata Chinese Character
Udea olivalis
Nomophila noctuella Rush Veneer
Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl Thyatiridae
Galleria mellonella Wax Moth Thyatira batis Peach Blossom
Aphomia sociella Bee Moth Tethea ocularis Figure of Eighty
Pterophoridae Ochropacha duplaris Common Lutestring
Platyptilia gonodactyla Achlya flavicomis Yellow Horned
Platyptilia pallidactyla
Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla Geometridae
Pterophorus pentadactyla White Plume Moth Archlearis parthenias Orange Underwing
Alsophila aesculana March Moth
Hespenidae Pseudoterpna pruinata Grass Emerald
Thymelicus sylvestris Small Skipper Geometra papilionaria Large Emerald
Ochlodes venata Large Skipper Idaea dimidiata Single-dotted Wave
Erynnis tages Dingy Skipper
Idaea aversata Riband Wave
Pieridae Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet
Colias croceus Clouded Yellow Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet
Pieris brassicae Large White
Pieris rapae Small White Xanthorhoe ffuctuata Garden Carpet
Pieris napi Green-veined White Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar
Anthocharis cardamines Orange Tip Scotopteryx luridata plumbaria July Belle
19

Some moths and butterflies of the Malton Area
20
Del. T. Coult

Epirrhoe afternata Common Carpet Eupithecia trisignaria Triple-spotted Pug
Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell
Entephria caesiata Grey Mountain Moth Eupithecia vulgata
Common Pug
Eupithecia subfuscata Grey Pug
Anticlea badiata Shoulder Stripe Eupithecia nana angusta Narrow-winged Pug
Anticlea derivata Streamer
Pelurga comitata Dark Spinach Eupithecia abbreviata Brindled Pug
Lampropteryx suffumata Wate Carpet Eupithecia pusillata Juniper Pug
Cosmorhoe ocellata Purple Bar Eupithecia tantillana Dwarf Pug
Eulithis testata Chevron Chloroclystis rectangulata Green Pug
Eulithis populata Northern Spinach Chesias legatella Streak
Eulithis mellinata Spinach Odezia atrata Chimney Sweeper
Eulithis pyraliata Barred Straw
Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix Venusia cambrica Welsh Wave
Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet Trichopteryx carpinata Early Tooth-striped
Chloroclysta miata Autumn Green Carpet Abraxas grossulariata Magpie Moth
Chloroclysta citrata Dark Marbled Carpet Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border
Semiothisa liturata Tawny Barred-angle
Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled
Carpet
Semiothisa clathrata Latticed Heath
Cidaria fulvata Barred Yellow Semiothisa wauaria V-Moth
Thera firmata Pine Carpet Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line
Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth
Thera britannica Spruce Carpet Apeira syringaria Lilac Beauty
Thera juniperata Juniper Carpet Ennomos ainiaria Canary shouldered
Thorn
Electrophaes corylata Broken-barred Carpet Selenia dentaria Early Thorn
Colostigia multistrigaria Mottled Grey Selenia lunularia Lunar Thorn
Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet Odontopera bidentata Scalloped Hazel
Hydriomena furcata July Highflyer Crocallis elinguaria Scalloped Oak
Hydriomena impluviata May Highflyer Ourapteryx sambucaria Swallow-tailed Moth
Epirrita dilutata November Moth Colotois pennaria Feathered Thorn
Epirrita christyi Pale November Moth Apocheima pilosaria Pale Brindled Beauty
Epirrita autumnata Autumnal Moth Biston betularia Peppered Moth
Epirrata filigrammaria Small Autumnal Moth Biston betularia
carbonaria
Peppered Moth melanic
Operophtera brumata Winter Moth
Operophtera fagata Northern Winter Moth Agriopis leucophaearia Spring Usher
Agriopis aurantiaria Scarce Umber
Perizoma affinitata Rivulet Agriopis marginaria Dotted Border
Perizoma alchemillata Small Rivulet Erannis defoliaria Mottled Umber
Perizoma flavofasciata Sandy Carpet Peribatodes rhomboidari Willow Beauty
Perizoma didymata Twin-spot Carpet Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty
Eupithecia tenuiata Slender Pug Ectropis bistortata Engrailed
Eupithecia linariata Toadflax Pug Common Heath
Eupithecia pulchellata Foxglove Pug Ematurga atomaria Bordered White
Eupithecia irriguata Marbled Pug Bupalus piniaria Common White Wave
21

Cabera exanthemata Common Wave Noctua janthina Lesser Broad Bordered
Yellow Underwing
Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver
Theria primaria Early Moth
Campaea margaritata Light Emerald
Hylaea fasciaria Barred Red Graphiphora augur Double Dart
Dyscia fagaria
Sphingidae
Grey Scalloped Bar Paradiarsia glareosa
glareosa
Autumnal Rustic
Laothoe populi Poplar Hawk Lycophotia porphyna True Lover's Knot
Macroglossum stellatarum Humming-bird Hawk Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay
Deilephila elpenor Elephant Hawk Diarsia dahlii Barred Chestnut
Diarsia brunnea Purple Clay
Notodontidae Diarsia rubi Small Square-spot
Phalera bucephala Buff-tip Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew
Character
Cerura vinula Puss Moth
Notodonta dromedarius Iron Prominent
Eligmodonta ziczac Pebble Prominent Xestia baja Dotted Clay
Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow
Prominent
Xestia sexstrigata Six-striped Rustic
Pheosia tremula Swallow Prominent Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic
Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent Anaplectoides prasina Green Arches
Cerastis rubncosa Red Chestnut
Hada nana Shears
Odontosia carmelita Scarce Prominent Mamestra brassicae Cabbage Moth
Diloba caeruleocephala Figure of Eight Lacanobia thalassina Pale-shouldered Brocade
Arctiidae Lacanobia oleracea Bright-line Brown-eye
Nudaria mundana Muslin Footman
Arctia caja Garden Tiger Ceramica pisi Broom Moth
Spilosoma lubricipeda White Ermine Hecatera bicolorata
Diaphora mendica Muslin Moth Hadena rivularis Campion
Phragmatobia fuliginosa Ruby Tiger Hadena bicruns Lychnis
Cerapteryx graminis Antler
Nolidae Tholera decimalis Feathered Gothic
Panolis flammea Pine Beauty
Nola cucullatella Short Cloaked Moth Orthosia cruda Small Quaker
Nola confusalis Least Black Arches Orthosia populeti Lead-coloured Drab
Noctuidae Orthosia gracilis Powdered Quaker
Euxoa tritici White-line Dart
Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth Orthosia stabilis Common Quaker
Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab
Agrotis ipsilon Dark Sword-grass Orthosia munda Twin-spotted Quaker
Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character
Rhyacia simulans Dotted Rustic
Noctua pronuba Large Yellow
Underwing
Mythimna conigera Brown-line Bright Eye
Noctua comes Lesser Yellow
Underwing
Mythimna ferrago Clay
22

Mythimna impura Smoky Wainscot
Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot Apamea sordens Rustic Shoulder-knot
Mythimna comma Shoulder-striped
Wainscot
Oligia strigilis Marbled Minor
Oligia versicolor Rufous Minor
Cucullia umbratica Shark Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor
Brachylomia viminalis Minor Shoulder-knot Mesoligia literosa Rosy Minor
Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic Mesapamea secalis Common Rustic
AHophyes oxyacanthae Green-brindled Crescent Photedes minima Small Dotted Buff
Photedes pygmina Small Wainscot
Dichonia aprilina Merveille du Jour Luperina testacea Flounced Rustic
Antitype chi Grey Chi Hydraecia micacea Rosy Rustic
Eupsilia transversa Satellite Gortyna ffavago Frosted Orange
Conistra vaccinii Chestnut Hoplodrina blanda Rustic
Agrochola circellaris Brick Caradnna morpheus Mottled Rustic
Agrochola lota Red-line Quaker Caradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow
Agrochola macilenta Yellow-line Quaker Panemeria tenebrata Small Yellow
Underwing
Agrochola helvola Flounced Chestnut Nycteola revayana Oak Nycteoline
Agrochola litura Brown-spot Pinion Diachrysia chrysitis Burnished Brass
Plusia festucae Gold Spot
Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut Plusia putnami gracilis Lempke's Gold Spot
Parastichtis suspecta Suspected
Atethmia centrago Centre-barred Sallow Autographa gamma Silver Y
Xanthia togata Pink-barred Sallow Autographa pulchrina Beautiful Golden Y
Autographa jota Plain Golden Y
Xanthia icteritia Sallow Autographa bractea Gold Spangle
Acronicta aini Alder Moth Abrostola triplasia Spectacle
Acronicta psi Grey Dagger Scoliopteryx libatrix Herald
Acronicta rumicis Knot Grass Hyoena Droboscidalis Snout
Cryphia domestica Marbled Beauty
Amphipyra berbera svenssoni Svensson's Copper
Underwing
Amphipyra tragopoginis Mouse Moth
Mormo maura Old Lady
Rusina ferruginea Brown Rustic
Euplexia lucipara Small Angle Shades
Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades
lpimorpha subtusa Olive
Cosmia trapezina Dun-Bar
Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches
Apamaea lithoxylea Light Arches
Apamea crenata Clouded-bordered
Brindle
Apamea remissa Dusky Brocade
23

Beetle Records
This continues the list of records in The Vasculum 78(4): 72. All are from Hamsterley forest,
unless otherwise stated
Dytiscidae
Agabus melanarius Tetrad NZ021 29.iv.1989; tetrad NZ02J 29.iii.1989; tetrad
NZ02P 6.1.1989.
Agabus unguicularis Tetrad NZ02U 13.vi.1989.
Acilius sulcatus Tetrad NZ03A 11 .vii.1987; tetrad NZ03K 12.vi.1989; Slaley Forest, tetrad
NY95M 6.V.1987; Slaley Forest, tetrad NY95S 1.vii.1988.
llybius subaeneus Tetrad NZ03K 5.xi.1986.
Meloidae
Meloe violaceus Tetrad NZ02P 1.V.I 990; tetrad NZ03Q 16 May 1986; Slaley Forest, tetrad
NY95M 29.vi.1987.
Pyrochroidae
Pyrochroa serraticomis Wynyard Forest, tetrad NZ42D 20.vi.1986; Wynyard Forest, tetrad
NZ421 13.vi.1986.
Rhipiphoridae
Metoecus paradoxus Tetrad NZ03V 28.viii.1987.
Chrysomelidae
Clytra quadripunctata Tetrad NZ02P 19.vii.1987; Chopwell Woods, tetrad NZ15N 24.vi.1985.
Cassida flaveola Slaley Forest, tetrad NY95T 20.v.1987.
Chrysomela aenea Tetrad NZ02P l.viii.1988; tetrad NZ03Q 1.vii.1987; tetrad NZ03V 16.V.1988;
Black Banks, tetrad NZ13C 16.ix.1989; Beldon Woods, tetrad NY94J 10.vii.1986.
Chrysolina varians Tetrad NZ02U 7.vii.1987.
Curculionidae
Barynotus moerens Black Banks, tetrad NZ13C 9.vi.1988.
Scolytidae
Xyloterus lineatus Tetrad NZ02J 9.vii.1985; tetrad NZ02N 26.v.1989; tetrad NZ02P 24.v.1989;
tetrad NZ02U 24.v.1989; tetrad NZ03Q 23.v.1989; Slaley Forest, tetrad NY95Q 15.vi.1988;
Slaley Forest, tetrad NY95S 6.vi.1988; Slaley Forest, tetrad NY95T 23.vi.1988.
Dryocoetes autographus Tetrad NZ02J 9.vii.1985; tetrad NZ02P 8.ix.1988; Slaley Forest, tetrad
NY95T 23.vi.1988; Wainhope, Kielder Forest, NY69R 30.1.1992.
Gordon Simpson
24

The Vasculum
ISSN 0049-6891
Edited by
A. COLES and L. JESSOP
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery, Borough Road,
Sunderland
CONTENTS
New and significant records of fungi from VC66 1992-1993 25
Twenty-five years of butterflies in a small suburban garden
in North Tyneside, 1969-1993 34
Marine mites - pioneer Naturalists in Northern England 45
The invertebrates of Cross Pell and Dun Pell summits,
Cumbria 1. S. Downie, J. C. Coulson, L J. Bauer, J. E. L Butterfield, L Davies, S.
48
A. Goodyer ...
SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE DUE ON 1st JANUARY, 1994
and should be sent to the Treasurer

Introduction
New and significant records of fungi from VC66 1992-1993
A. W. Legg. 36 Carleton Drive, Darlington, County Durham. DL3 9QP.
At the end of 1986, the author received a copy of a list of records of Durham fungi, in the form of
an unpublished computer printout, compiled from various sources by Mr J. Durkin. The records
date back to Winch at the beginning of the last century and include Potter's list from the Victoria
County History (1905), data from the British Mycological Society, the Yorkshire Naturalists'
Union, occasional publications in The Vasculum, foray lists and records from local Natural
History societies and information from individual collectors. Much of the older material is of
questionable value for several reasons and the complete list doubtless contains a number of
inadvertent errors in the form of duplications under different names and misidentifications.
Nevertherless, a start had to be made somewhere and the author has been much indebted to the
hard work carried out by Mr Durkin and encouraged to build on it. It is time to review what has
been accomplished since the compilation of the 1986 list in terms of additions to it. The following
table lists numbers of fungi from various groups as compiled by Mr Durkin and adds those of new
records published in The Vasculum at various times since 1990 and including those given below.
It should be noted that the above tabulation excludes lichens which have been studied separately
and more thoroughly. Details of these have been published in the Flora and Vegetation of County
Durham (Graham, 1988). It is hoped, in future, to include data on lichens under the heading of
fungi where they more justifiably belong.
25

Meanwhile it is encouraging that the list of fungi has increased in number by one third in only
seven years, particularly as the collecting has been done by a few individual amateurs in their
spare time. The author wishes to thank all those who have helped in however small a way. The
above tabulation makes it clear where most progress has been made and where most work needs
to be done. For purposes of comparison, figures for some intensively studied areas are given
below as compiled by Hawksworth (1991),
Locality Numbers of fungi
Yorkshire 4,931
Hebrides 3,769
Warwickshire 2,795
Mull 2,760
Slapton 1,691
Wheatfen Broad 996
Darlington West Cemetery 646*
* To end of September 1994
In particular the last three figures demonstrate how many fungi may flourish undiscovered in an
area the size of VC66 and how much work remains to be done in order to reveal their presence.
New and significant records 1992-1993
Of the 160 fungi listed below, 142 are considered newly-recorded for the old County of Durham.
The other eighteen are given either because they have not been recorded for a long time or
because they are otherwise of interest. It should be assumed that any listed fungus is thought to be
newly recorded for VC66 unless otherwise stated in the entry for that taxon. It will be noted that
exact determinations of some fungi have been considered impossible by experts. This fact goes to
demonstrate how much basic mycology needs yet to be done in the country as a whole.
Professional determinations or confirmations of some fungi in the list have been coded K for the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Four-figure National Grid references are also given for each record.
BASIDIOMYCOTINA: AGARICALES, BOLETALES, CORTINARIALES, RUSSULALES
Agaricus cf maleolens Moell. Under Cedrus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2614; 9.ix.1993.
Agrocybe gibberosa (Fries) Fayod. In grass by deciduous trees, Hummersknott, Darlington;
NZ2615;28.v.1993.
Agrocybe cf pediades (Pers. ex. Fr.) Fayod. In grass, an unusual annulate form, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 11.vi.1992. K.
26

Camarophyllopsis cf schuizeri (Herink) Sing. With deciduous trees, Moorhouse Wood, Rainton;
NZ3146; 25.ix.1993.
Clitocybe candicans (Pers. ex Fr.) Kummer. Pathside, Moorhouse Wood, Rainton;
NZ3146; 25.ix.1993. Last recorded in 1907.
Conocybe cf aurea (J. Schaeff.) Hongo. Pathside, Raintonpark Wood, Rainton; NZ3146;
25.ix.1993.
Conocybe pygmaeoaffinis (Fr.) Kuhner. In grass, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714;1.x.1992.
Conocybe siennophylla (Bk. & Br.) Sing. Amongst grass by path, Raintonpark Wood,
Rainton; NZ3046;25.ix.1993.
Conocybe cf stiaepes (Cooke) Lundell. By Chamaecyparis, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2714;
8.x.1992.
Coprinus martinii Favre ex Orton. On rotting Juncus debris in SSSI pasture, Hamsterley Forest;
NZ0630; 2.x.1993. K.
Coprinus urticaecolor (Berk. & Br.) Buller. On moribund sheaths of living Juncus, Brinkburn
Pond, Darlington; NZ2816; 24.vii.1993.
Cortinarius balteocumatilis (Hry.) ex Orton. Amongst short grass by Fagus, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713;3.ix.1993.
Cortinarius cinnamomeoluteus Orton. With mixed trees, Hamsterley Forest; NZ0831;12.ix.1992.
Cortinanus hinnuleus Fr. By Fagus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713; 23. ix.1993. No
modern records.
Cortinarius subferrugineus (Batsch ex Fr.) Gregarious amongst grass around young Betula,
Hummersknott, Darlington; NZ2614; 27.ix.1992.
Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens R. Haller. In short turf, Darlington West
Cemetery;NZ2613;9.ix.1993.
Hygrocybe calyptraeformis (Bk. & Br.) Fayod. In short turf, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2613;
16.ix.1993.
Inocybe cf abjecta Karst. By Betula and Quercus, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2713;23.ix.1993.
Inocybe cf friesii Heim. With mixed trees, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714;18.viii.1993.
Inocybe godeyi Gill. With Fagus Castle Eden Dene; NZ4138; 19.viii.1993.
Inocybe grammata Quel. With mixed trees, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714;18.viii.1993.
Inocybe hirtella Bres. With Fagus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713; 1.x.1992.
Inocybe margaritispora (Berk. apud Cooke) Sacc. Solitary in Corylus coppice, Castle Eden Dene;
NZ4138; 19.viii.1993. Uncommon.
Inocybe cf pelargonium Kuehn. Under Fagus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713;1.x.1992.
Inocybe praetervisa Quel. Amongst grass between mixed trees, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 16.ix.1993.
Inocybe pyriodora (Pers. & Fr.) Quel. Under Fagus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713;4.
ix.1993. Only one recent record.
Inocybe umbnna Bres. By Fagus near conifers, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2614;24.ix.1992.
One modern record only.
Lactarius acerrimus Britz. Near Quercus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714;
27

23.vii 1992. K. Rare.
Lactarius obscuratus (Lasch) fr. Under Alnus, Low Barns, Witton-le-Wear; NZ1631;1.viii.1992.
Leccinum roseotinctum Watling. With Betula, Raintonpark Wood, Rainton; NZ3045;25.ix.1993.
Rarely collected.
Lepiota mastoidea Fr. In pasture opposite Cotherstone; NZ0119; 7.x.1990. K. Overlooked in
previous lists.
Lepiota pseudohelveola Kuehn. ex Hora. With Quercus and Pinus, Raintonpark Wood, Rainton;
NZ3046; 25.ix.1993. Uncommon.
Naucoria celluloderma Orton. Under Alnus, Winston; NZ1416; 3.ix.1992.
Nolanea hebes (Romagn.) Orton. Trinity Churchyard, Darlington; NZ2814; 29.ix.1992.
Nolanea juncina (Kuhn & Romagn.) Orton. Amongst grass, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2713;
18.ix.1992.
Nolanea lucida Orton. Amongst grass, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713; 17.ix.1992.
Nolanea papillata Bres. Gregarious amongst grass, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2713;17.ix.1992.
Psathyrella atomata (Fr.) Quel. Under Quercus by path; Raintonpark Wood, Rainton;NZ3046;
25.ix.1993. No record since 1907.
Psathyrella badio-vestita Orton. On woody debris, Lady Wood, Raby Park, Staindrop;NZ1220;
26.ix.1992.
Psilocybe montana (Pers. ex Fr.) Kummer. Pathside, Middleton-Dinsdale Woods-
NZ3411; 14.vii.1992.
Rhodotus palmatus (Bull. ex Fr.) R. Maire. On old logs of Ulmus, Merrybent, Low Coniscliffe;
NZ2314; 9.x.1993. Coll. J. Manson.
Stropharia inuncta (Fr.) Quel. Amongst grass, Darlington West Cemetery- NZ2713;8.x.1993.
BASIDIOMYCOTINA: APHYLLOPHORALES
Abortiporus biennis (Bull. ex Fr.) Singer. On deciduous stump, grounds of Darlington College of
Technology; NZ2714; 30.ix.1993. K.
Clavulinopsis subtilis (Fr.) Corner. In short turf, Darlington West Cemetery- NZ2714;8.x.1993.
Lachnella alboviolescens (Alb. & Schw. ex Fr.) Fr. On dead attached twigs of Fraxinus and Ilex
respectively, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714; 18.iii.1993 and 27 vi 1993.K.
Lyomyces sambuci (Pers. ex Fr.) P. Karst. On attached dead stem of Sambucus, Nunnery Lane,
Darlington; NZ2614; 1.i.1993.
Merismodes confusus (Bres.) Reid. On fallen deciduous branch (Ulmus?) Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2714; 30.i.1993. K.
Phellinus ferruginosus (Schrad. ex Fr.) Pat. On fallen Betula branches, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2614; 1.x.1993. K.
BASIDIOMYCOTINA: TREMELLALES
Eichleriella deglubens (Berk. & Br.) Reid. On dead lying deciduous branch, Winston-NZ1416;
11.ii.1993. Rare; there are only two Yorkshire records though one of these
28

is from Teesdale. K.
BASIDIOMYCOTINA: GASTEROMYCETES
Melanogaster ambiguus (Vitt.) Tul. Doxford Park, Sunderland (coll. L. Stephenson);NZ3652;vi
1991 .K.
BASIDIOMYCOTINA: UREDINALES
Pucciniastrum circaeae (Wint.) de Toni. On leaves of Circaea, Lady Wood, Raby Park,
Staindrop; NZ1120. 26.ix.1992.
Trachyspora intrusa (Grev.) Arth. On leaves of Alchemilla, Barnard Castle; NZ0416;3.vi 1993.
Quite common.
ASCOMYCOTINA
Ascobolus denudatus Fr. On squirrel dung, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714;9.v.1992.
Ascobolus elegans J. Klein. Incubated on rabbit dung, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2713;
12.XL1993.
Ascobolus viridis Currey. On clay soil by path, Raintonpark Wood, Rainton; NZ3046;25. ix.1993.
Bertia moriformis (Jode) de Not. Old wood, Dinsdale Woods; NZ3411; 14.vii.1992. Only one
recent record.
Blumeriella jaapii (Rehm) van Arx. Acervuli and conidia of Microgloeum state on living leaves
of Prunus laurocerasus, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713; 10.iv.1992.
Botryosphaeria dothidea (Moug. ex Fr.) Ces. & de Not. Thin living stems of Rosa, Moorhouse
Wood, Rainton; NZ3146; 25.iv.1993.
Botryosphaeria stevensii Shoemaker; Diplodia state in Fraxinus twig, Hardwick Hall Country
Park, Sedgefield; NZ3429; 7.vi.1992.
Calosphaeria dryina (Currey) Nitschke. Thin fallen twig of Quercus, Whorlton;
NZ1014;6.iii.1993.
Calosphaeria parasitica Fuckel. On old perithecia of Quaternaria quaternata in dead Fagus twig,
Flatts Wood, Barnard Castle; NZ0417; 4.iv.1993. K.
Chaetosphaeria myriocarpa (Fr.) Booth. Fallen twig of Salix, Hardwick Hall Country Park,
Sedgefield; NZ3429; 26.vii.1993. K.
Ciliolarina laricina Svrcek. On fallen cone of Pinus nigra, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2614;
30.1.1993. K.
Colpoma quercinum (Pers.) Wallr. In fallen Quercus twigs, Whorlton; NZ1014; 6.iii.1993.No
records since 1907.
Coniochaeta ligniaria (Grev.) Cooke. On decorticated fallen Salix trunk, Blackwell,Darlington;
NZ2713; 7.iv.1993. K.
Cryptodiaporthe hystrix (Tode) Petrak. Diplodinia state in Acer twig, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 31.v.1992.
Cryptoshaerina fraxini Lambotte & Fautrey ex Sacc. & Sydow. In Fraxinus twig, Blackwell,
Darlington; NZ2713; 20.iii.1992. K.
Cucurbitaria berberidis (Pers.) Grey. In dead attached Berberis twigs near ground, Darlington
West Cemetery; NZ2713; 23.iv.1993.
Cucurbitaria elongata (Fr.) Grev. Conidia of Camparosporium state in fallen Robinia twigs,
Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713; 11.vi.1992.
29

Dasyscyphus (Lachnum) caricis (Desm.) Sacc. On culms and leaves of Typha, Brinkburn Pond,
Darlington; NZ2816; 24.vii.1993. K.
Dasyscyphus tenuissimus (Quel.) Dennis. On dead indet. grass stem, Hardwick Hall Country
Park, Sedgefield; NZ3429; 7.vi.1993.
Diaporthe carpini (Fr.) Fuckel. In fallen Carpinus twig, University of Durham Botanic Garden;
NZ2640; 2.viii.1993.
Diaporthe detrusa (Fr.) Fuckel. Dead stem of Berberis, grounds of Darlington College of
Technology; NZ2714; 5.vii.1993. K.
Diaporthe eres Nitschke. In dead Rubus stems, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714;27.v.1993.
Diaporthe incarcerata (Berk. & Br.) Nitschke. B-conidia issuing in tendrils from dead branch of
Rosa canina, Winston; NZ1416; 11.ii.1993.
Diaporthe leiphemia (Fr.) Sacc. In newly-fallen Quercus twigs, grounds of Polam Hall school,
Darlington; NZ2813; 9.vi.1992.
Diaporthe oncostoma (Duby) Fuckel. A-conidia in dead Robinia twig, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 23.iv.1992.
Diaporthe pulla Nitschke. Phomopsis state in bark of dead Hedera, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 30.i.1993. Last recorded in 1911.
Diatrype bullata (Hoffm.) Fr. In twigs of Salix cinerea, Hardwick Hall Country Park, Sedgefield;
20.iv.1992. Last recorded in 1907.
Diatrypella quercina (Pers.) Cooke. In twigs of Quercus on the ground, Nunnery Lane,
Darlington (and seven other sites); NZ2614; 11.i.1992. Apparently common.
Didymella holostea Sydow. On old dead leaves of Stellaria, Winston; NZ1416; 5.vi.1993.Rare.
K.
Ditopella ditopa (Fr.) Schroter. In thin fallen Alnus twigs, Winston; NZ1416; 10.v.1992.
Drepanopeziza salicis (Tul. & C. Tul.) Hohnel. Conidia in spots on Salix fragilis leaves, Baydale,
Darlington; NZ2514; 8.viii.1993.
Erisyphe cichoracearum v. fischeri (Blumer) U. Braun. Conidia on Senecio vulgaris, Darlington
West Cemetery; NZ2713; 12.viii.1993.
Erisyphe orontii Cast. On leaves of Viola, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713;11 .vii.1992.
Firnaria hepatica (Batsch) v. Brummelen. Incubated on rabbit pellets, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 12.xi.1993.
Hapalocystis bicaudata Fuckel. Stilbospora state in dead Ulmus twigs, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2714; 25.iii.1993.
Helvella macropus (Pers.) P. Karsten. On ground in marshy woodland, Hardwick Hall Country
Park, Sedgefield; NZ3429; 27.vii.1993. Last recorded in 1907.
Hymenoscyphus rokebyensis (Svrcek) Matheis. On beech mast, Darlington West Cemetery,
NZ2713; 1.x.1992.
Hysterium angustatum Alb. & Schw. On bark of Acer, Shittlehope Burn, Stanhope; coll.S.
Wharton; NZ0038; 19.ii.1993. K.
Laboulbenia pedicellata Thaxter. On Bembidion guttula, Primrose, Jarrow; coll. L. Jessop, det. A.
Weir; NZ3264; Summer 1991.
Laboulbenia vulgaris Peyritsch. On Bembidion guttula, Primrose, Jarrow; coll. L. Jessop, det. A.
Weir; NZ3264; Summer 1991.
Leptosphaeria dolioloides (Auersw.) P. Karsten. In dead Cirsium stems, Winston;NZ1416;
10.v.1992.
30

Leptosphaeria herpotrichioides de Not. In dead stems of Phalaris, Gainford;
NZ1616;31.vii.1992. No modem records.
Leptosphaeria jacae Holm. In dead Centaurea stems, Baydale, Darlington; NZ2514;16.vi.1992.
Leptosphaeria luctuosa Niessi. ex Sacc. In dead grass stems, Winston; NZ1416;10.v.1992.
Leptosphaeria maculans (Desm.) Ces. & de Not. In bases of dead Alliaria stems,Winston;
NZ1416; 5.vi.1993.
Lophiostoma caudatum Fabre. In old stems of Epilobium hirsutum, grounds of Polam Hall school,
Darlington; NZ2813; 9.vi.1992.
Lophiostoma caulium (Fr.) Ces. & de Not. In dead stems of Epilobium hirsutum, grounds of
Polam Hall school, Darlington; NZ2813; 9.vi.1992.
Lophodermium typhinum (Fr.) Lambotte. Old, lying culms of Typha, Brinkburn Pond, Darlington;
NZ2816; 24.vii.1993. K.
Massarina eburnea (Tul. & C. Tul.) Sacc. In thin, dead attached twigs of Fagus, Darlington;
NZ2713; 2.vi.1993.
Melanconis alni TuI. & C. Tul. In dead Alnus twigs, Winston; NZ1416; 3.v.1993.
Mollisia ligni (Desm.) P. Karsten. On dead hanging Fraxinus twigs, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 18.iii.1993.
Mollisia ramealis (P. Karsten) P. Karsten. On fallen twig of Corylus, Castle Eden Dene;NZ4238;
19.viii.1993. A BMS collection from the Raby Estate is said to be the first UK record (1911).
Mollisia ventosa P. Karsten. On decorticate fallen Fagus, Blackwell, Darlington;
NZ2713;7.iv.1993.
Monilinia fructigena Honey ex Whetzel. Monilia state on old apple lying on the ground,
Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713; 5.viii.1992.
Nectria aquifolii (Fr.) Berk. In dead hanging Ilex twigs, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2713;
4.ii.1993. K.
Nectria magnusiana Rehm ex Sacc. Fusarium state overgrowing old stromata of Diatrypella
favacea on fallen branches of Betula, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713;7.i.1993.
Ophiovalsa suffusa (Fr.) Petrak. In dead, lying twigs of Alnus, Winston, NZ1416;3.v.1993.
Paradidymella tosta (Berk. & Br.) Petrak. In dead Epilobium stem, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 27.v.1993.
Peziza cerea Sow. Emergent from office carpet of J. Menzies PLC, Darlington; NZ3013;Coll. M.
O'Shea; 1.ix.1993. K.
Phyllacora dactylidis Delacr. On dead Dactylis, Baydale, Darlington; NZ2514; 30.viii.1993.
Plagiostoma pustula (Pers.) v. Arx. On dead Quercus leaves, Dipton Woods, Consett;NZ1454;
11.iv.1992.
Pleomassana sipana (Berk. & Br.) Sacc. In dead, fallen branch of Betula, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 18.ii.1993. K.
Pleospora scrophulariae (Desm.) Hohnel. In dead leaves of Stellaria on the ground, Winston;
NZ1416; 11.iv.1993. K.
Poculum firmum (Pers.) Dumont. Gregarious on lopped branch of Quercus, Lady Wood, Raby
Park, Staindrop; NZ1120; 26.ix.1992.
Podosphaera tridactyla (Wallr.) de Bary. On leaves of Prunus, grounds of Polam Hall
31

school, Darlington; NZ2813; 9.vi.1992.
Protomyces macrosporus Unger. On stems of living Aegopodium, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 9.vi.1993. Probably very common.
Pseudopeziza trifolii (Biv.-Bern) Fuckel. On living leaves of Trifolium, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2613; 4.vii.1993.
Pseudovalsa longipes (Tul.) Sacc. Conidia of Coryneum state in fallen twigs of Quercus ilex,
Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714; 17.i.1992.
Pseudovalsa umbonata (Tul.) Sacc. Conidia of Coryneum state in fallen twig of Quercus ilex,
Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714; 15.iii.1992.
Schizothecium nanum Lundq. Incubated on rabbit pellets, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2713;
7.i.1993.
Scutellinia cejpii (Velen.) Svrcek. On bare ground by stump, Flatts Wood, Barnard
Castle;NZ0417; 28.vii.1993. K.
Sphaerotheca ferruginea (Schlecht) Junell. Conidia and cleistothecia on living leaves of
Sanguisorba, Hamsterley Forest; NZ0629; 12.ix.1992.
Sphaerotheca mors-uvae (Schw.) Berk. & Curtis. Conidia on living leaves of Ribes, Darlington
West Cemetery; NZ2714; 2.vi.1993.
Sporormiella cf leporina (Niessl.) Ahmed & Cain. Incubated on rabbit pellets, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 21.xi.1992. K.
Tarzetta galliardiana (Boud.) Korf & Rogers. On soil in marshy woodland, Hardwick Hall
Country Park, Sedgefield; NZ3429; 26.vii.1993. Rare. K.
Teichospora obducens (Schum.) Fuckel. On dead attached twig of Fraxinus, Gainford;NZ1617;
7.iii.1993. K.
Trichoglossum hirsutum (Fr.) Boud. Under deciduous trees, Moorhouse Wood, Rainton;NZ3146;
25.ix.1993. Not recorded since Winch.
Tuber rufum Pico. Near Fagus hedge in garden, Sunderland; c. 22.viii.1992. K.
Unguiculariopsis ilicincola (Berk. & Br.) Rehm. On dead hanging twigs of Ilex, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2714; 2.vi.1993. Very few British records. K.
Valsa cf cenisia de Not. In dead twig of Chamaecyparis, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2714;
11.iii.1993. K.
Valsa ceratophora Tul. & C. Tul. Fallen indet. twig, Gainford Spa Wood; NZ1617;7.iii.1993.
Vialaea insculpta (Fr.) Sacc. In dead hanging Ilex twig, Barnard Castle riverside;
NZ0515;4.iv.1993.
DEUTEROMYCOTINA: HYPHALES
Dendrodochium pinastri Paol. On fallen branch of Pinus nigra, Darlington West
Cemetery;NZ2614; 30.i.1993.
Helminthosporium velutinum Link. On old dead twigs of Hedera etc., Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714; 18.ii.1993. Det. M.B. Ellis.
Melanconium hederae Preuss. In old lopped Hedera branches, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2713; 4.iii.1993.
Oedocephalum cf elegans Preuss. On incubated rabbit pellets, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2713; 7.i.1993. Det. M.B. Ellis.
Penicillium cyclopium Westling. On rotting Lyophyllum decastes, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2713; 14.viii.1992.
Pteroconium intermedium M.B. Ellis. Arthrinium state on dead stems of Arundinaria
on dead stems of Arundinaria
32

Darlington West Cemetery. NZ2714;28.xi.1992.
Pycnostyzanus azaleae (Peck) Mason. Causing bud blast and twig blight on Rhododendron
ponticum, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714; 20.v.1993.
Trimmatostroma salicis Corda. On wet twigs of Salix "babylonica", Polam Hall school,
Darlington; NZ2813; 9.vi.1992.
DEUTEROMYCOTINA: COELOMYCETES
Aposphaeria glomerata auct. On dead twigs of Fraxinus, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2614;
18.ii.1993. K.
Coleophoma cylindrospora (Desm.) Hohnel. In old dead Ilex leaf, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2714:2.vi.1993.
Colleotrichum trichellum (Fr.) Duke. In leaves of Hedera, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2613;
31.v.1992.
Coniothyrium slaptoniense D. Hawksw. & Puntihalingham. In dead attached twigs of
Ilex,Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2714; 2.vi.1993. K.
Cytospora clypeata Sacc. In dead stem of Rubus "fruticosus", Darlington West
Cemetery;NZ2714; 4.v.1992.
Diplodia tiliae Fuckel. In dead, fallen twig of Tilia, South Park, Darlington; NZ2813;19.iv.1992.
Gloeosporidella turgida (Berk. & Br.) Sutton. In dead attached twigs of Fraxinus,Darlington
West Cemetery; NZ2714; 18.ii.1993. K.
Libertella faginea Desm. In fallen Fagus branch, Darlington West Cemetery; NZ2713;27.vi.1993.
Microsphaeropsis olivacea (Bon) Hohnel. In dead fallen Hedera twigs, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 10.iv.1992.
Neohendersonia kicksii (Westend) Sutton & Pollack. In thin dead Fagus branch, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 10.iv.1992.
Pestalotiopsis monochaetoides (Doyer) Steyaert. In fallen twig of Chamaecyparis, Darlington
West Cemetery; NZ2713; 23.iv.1992.
Phoma complanata (Tode) Desm. In dead Arctium stems, Winston; NZ1416; 10.v.1992.
Phoma hedericola (Dur. & Mont.) Boerema. In living Hedera leaves, Darlington West Cemetery;
NZ2613; 30.i.1993.
Phomopsis crustosa Trav. In thin hanging dead twigs of Ilex, Darlington West Cemetery;NZ2714;
11.iii.1993.
Phomopsis hystericola (Sacc.) Grove. In dead stem of Aegopodium, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 30.vii.1993.
Steganosporium pyriforme (Hoffm.) Corda. In dead Acer twigs, Blackwell, Darlington;NZ2713;
18.iii.1993.
ZYGOMYCOTINA
Actinomucor elegans (Eidam) Benj. & Hessel. Incubated on rabbit pellets, Darlington West
Cemetery; NZ2713; 7.i.1993.
Phycomyces nitens Kunze. Incubated on rabbit pellets, Moorhouse Wood, Rainton:
NZ3145;25.ix.1993
33

References
Graham, G.G., 1988. The Flora and Vegetation of County Durham. Durham County Conservation
Trust.
Hawksworth, D.L, 1991. The fungal dimension of biodiversity: magnitude, significance and
conservation. Mycological Research 95(6): 641-655.
Legg, A.W., 1992: The fungi of Darlington West Cemetery. The Vasculum 77(3): 21-43.
Legg, A.W., 1993. New and significant records of fungi from VC66 1990-1991. The
Vasculum 78(3): 25-32.
Potter. M.C..1905. Fungi. Victoria County History of Durham Vol. 1: 75-81
Twenty-five years of butterflies in a small suburban garden in North
Tyneside, 1969-1993.
H.A. Ellis, 16 Southlands, Tynemouth, NE30 2QS
Introduction
This paper reports the species of butterflies recorded in a small suburban garden in Tynemouth
over twenty-five years. Of the thirteen different species some, such as the Small Tortoiseshell,
Large White, Small White and Green-veined White, were regular and frequent visitors, whilst
others, such as the Large Skipper and Orange Tip were rare erratics. The Holly Blue unexpectedly
appeared in the garden in 1990 and this was the first record for that species in Northumberland.
Only four species, the Large White, Small White, Green-veined White and Holly Blue were
known to have oviposited in the garden. Reasons for annual fluctuations in the numbers of species
and individuals are considered, particularly in relation to the status of the species in the
surrounding region.
The Garden
The house and garden plot is located at Tynemouth (NZ357700), 1 Km from the sea and 40m.
above sea level. It is approximately rectangular, measuring 30 x 16.3m. and faces SSE at the rear
overlooking open space of the adjoining golf course. The buildings occupy the mid-third of the
plot, with gardens to front and rear. The front garden is surrounded by a low (0.46 m.) wall, but
the higher (1.38 m.) rear wall provides some shelter from wind. The prevailing winds are from the
west and south-west but chilly east winds are also a feature. Sometimes, and most commonly in
spring and early summer, sea fogs or mists (frets or haars) occur.
Butterfly Records (1969-1993)
Notes were kept of the dates of appearance, numbers of individuals and of any mating pairs or
ovipositing females. The presence of ova, larvae and pupae was recorded as were any flower
preferences by feeding adults.
The annual records for the individual species are summarized in Table 1. Thirteen species were
recorded in the garden over the twenty-five years. The minimum and maximum numbers of
species seen in any one year were 2 (1973 and 1981) and 12 (1990), respectively. In only two
years (1990 & 1992) were 10 or more species recorded, and in fifteen of the twenty-five years
there were 5 or fewer species. The later years of
34

the period were associated with more species and the best quinquennium was 1989-1993 (Table
2). Overall the mean number of species per annum was 5.5. The frequency of visits and numbers
of butterflies are given in Figure 1 and Table 3, and the earliest and latest dates for each species in
Table 4.
Characteristically only one or two different species were recorded in one day or at the same time,
but occasionally there were more as in 1992, when 5-6 species were noted on several days (Table
5).
Individual species
The Large Skipper Ochlodes venata (Bremer & Grey)
The Large Skipper was the only garden representative of the Hesperiidae (Skippers). The nearest
recorded locations for the species are about 6-10 km from the garden (Cook, 1990) and the
appearance of a Large Skipper at 17.00 hrs on 11 July 1984, feeding on Candytuft and Sweet
William flowers was totally unexpected. At the time the only previous Large Skipper I had seen
in North Tyneside was a single male 5.6 km from the garden at Whitley Bay opposite St Mary's
Island (5 July 1979, NZ345756). Subsequently the Large Skipper occurred there in several years
and I last saw it there in moderate numbers in 1992 (16 June, 13 individuals, NZ345756 to
NZ347753). To my knowledge the nearest (1.4 Km) colony to the garden is that below Knott's
Flats, Tynemouth, but I did not discover this until 1988 (19 June, NZ363688). Since 1988 the
Large Skipper appears to have extended its range in south-east Northumberland and I have
encountered additional colonies, for example those near Crow Hall Farm near Holywell
(NZ325746), along the course of a dismantled railway near Middle Engine Lane, North Shields
(NZ321697) and in the Rising Sun Country Park, Wallsend (NZ299695). In spite of this no
further Large Skipper butterflies have been recorded in the garden and the solitary visitor is
regarded as an erratic (vagrant).
Large White Pieris brassicae L. and Small White, Pieris rapae (L.)
Both these butterflies are common in North Tyneside, especially in wastelands, allotments and
gardens and as expected these two species were amongst the four most frequent and numerous
species recorded in the garden (Tables 1 & 3 and Figure 1). All stages of the life cycle were
observed and occasional larvae of the Large White were parasitised by Apanteles glomeratus.
Green-veined White Pieris napi (L.)
This butterfly is also widespread in the North East. That it was the fourth most frequent species in
the garden (Fig. 1) is a little surprising however, since characteristically it frequents damp regions
such as damp meadows, woodland rides, hedgerows and ditches and when seen elsewhere is
generally thought to be in transit (Emmet & Heath, 1989). This has been my experience too in the
North East but, in addition, the Green-veined White has been a more or less regular visitor to the
garden (Table 1 and Fig. 1) and mating couples and ovipositing females have been observed there
in several years. Ova
35

have been laid on the leaves of the weed Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) and garden
Aubrietia, and it has been shown that the latter is suitable as a larval foodplant (Ellis & Ellis,
1991). I believe that the Green-veined White is sometimes dismissed as a Small White without
close inspection and that it is commoner in our gardens than is generally realised. Although many
seen in the garden are merely in transit, sometimes unknown to us, a few may be breeding there.
Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines (L.)
A male Orange Tip butterfly was seen on two consecutive days on 24 & 25 May 1990 (Tables 1,
3 & 4). This species was once rare in north-east England but began an expansion and
recolonisation during the 1970s (Dunn & Parrack, 1986). There are several colonies in the area,
the nearest to my knowledge being those in Holywell Dene (NZ326747 - NZ334753) and the
Rising Sun Country Park, Wallsend (NZ297691 - NZ301695), which are both about 5.8 Km from
the garden. It is known that males, but not females, may wander off from the colony of origin and
the sightings of a male butterfly in the garden feeding on flowers were probably of such an
erratic. The only other Orange Tip I have seen in Tynemouth was also a male on 3 June 1978
below Knott's Flats (NZ363688) and this was presumably another erratic.
Holly Blue Celastrma argiolus (L.)
The Holly Blue was recorded in the garden in three of the twenty-five years. Its appearance there
in 1990 (Ellis, 1990) was totally unexpected since the species became extinct in the North-East of
England about the middle of the 19th Century and appeared to remain so apart from a temporary
resurgence in County Durham over the period 1948- 1950. A male Holly Blue visited the garden
on 22 August 1990 and a female was seen in a neighbouring garden the same day (Ellis, 1990).
These were the first recorded sightings of the species in north-east England for forty years and the
first ever in Northumberland. Further Holly Blue butterflies were recorded in the garden and in
the surrounding districts during 1991 and 1992. Ova were found on ivy growing in the garden and
elsewhere and it became clear that the species was breeding in several localities in
Northumberland and County Durham (Ellis, 1992; Ellis, 1993).
Disappointingly, none appeared in the garden or surrounding district during 1993, and as far as I
know there have been no confirmed records of the Holly Blue for 1993 in Northumberland
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas (L.)
The Small Copper appeared in the garden in nine years (Table 1 & Fig. 1) and all individuals
recorded were from the second brood during August and September. Generally only one
individual appeared at a time and there was but one visit in a year. The two exceptions were in
1976, when two butterflies flew together in the garden (28 August), and in 1990, when a Small
Copper was recorded on five different days during the period 5-12 August. In recent years it has
become scarce. Thus it appeared in three years of the first quinquennium of the twenty-five years
but in only one year during each
36

of the last two quinquennia and was last seen in 1990. This species does not breed in the garden
but thrives mostly on sunny wasteland where the larval foodplant (sorrel) grows. Although not
listed by Cook (1990), there have been several small colonies in the neighbourhood during the
last twenty-five years which have been the source of those butterflies recorded in the garden. In
recent years much of the local wasteland has been used for building purposes and this probably
explains the reduction in the numbers of garden visitors. A former moderate-sized colony near
Knott's Flats, Tynemouth, where one could regularly find adults of both broods together with ova,
has been seriously depleted as a result of the treatment of the grass verges with herbicides and the
introduction of a more rigorous grass cutting policy.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (L.)
This migrant butterfly is a well-recognised visitor to suburban gardens where it feeds on flowers
such as buddleia in the late Summer and Autumn. Over the twenty-five years it was recorded in
the garden in 11 (44%) years and in the North East in 16 (64%) years. The earliest garden record
was 10 July 1990 but overall only 8% of records occurred in July. The majority of records (82%)
were made during August and the first half of September and only 10% were in October, the
latest on 18 October 1993.
It is generally accepted that a few adults overwinter in the U.K. provided the weather is
sufficiently mild, but opinions differ as to whether the survivors are capable of giving rise to a
subsequent locally bred generation (Emmet & Heath, 1989; Tucker, 1991). It is assumed that all
the adults recorded in the garden were migrants or the offspring of earlier migrants. The numbers
of butterflies in the garden generally reflected events in the North East as a whole: thus in the
remarkable year of 1992, when the butterfly was locally common and ova and larvae were readily
found, then Red Admirals appeared in the garden on more days (26) and in greater numbers (up to
11 at a time) than in any other year over the twenty-five years.
Painted Lady Cynthia cardui (L.)
This species is another migrant but cannot survive the winter here. Over the twenty-five years it
was recorded in the garden in 9 (36%) years compared with 16 (64%) years in the North East. Its
annual appearance did not always coincide with that of the Red Admiral (Table 1) and it was
generally less common than that species. Thus it was noticed in smaller numbers (maximum two
at any one time) and on fewer days (24 compared with 50 days). Most (54.2%) garden visits
occurred during the second half of August and only 12.5% were in September and October. The
earliest and latest visits were 7 July 1988 and 5 October 1985, respectively. In the garden 1988
was the best year for the Painted Lady from 7 July - 26 August and this coincided with the
presence of many adults in the North-East generally. Surprisingly during 1980, which was the
recent "Painted Lady year par excellence", when the butterfly was widespread and numerous
throughout the North East, only two were recorded in the garden, on 30 July and 10 August.
37

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae (L.)
This is one of our commonest butterflies and a frequent visitor to gardens. It was the only species
recorded in each of the twenty-five years (Table 1 and Fig. 1). Overwintering adults appeared
with the first fine weather of spring, the earliest on 9 March 1993. By early June most had
disappeared but a few worn individuals were recorded up to late June and early July to overlap
with the beginnings of the next generation from mid-July. The timing of the two summer broods
was blurred and the latest individual was recorded in the garden on 4 October 1990. There were
more daily recordings during the summer than in the spring (58.5% compared with 40.1% of
records), also more individual butterflies were recorded in the summer months (maximum 12 in
one day and 9 at one time on 8 August 1976) than in the spring.
Peacock Inachis io (L.)
Although an indiginous species the Peacock was less common than the two previous (migrant)
species and was recorded in the garden in only 4 (16%) of the twenty five years and in the North-
East in 11 (44%) years. All the garden records were from 1989 onwards. Generally an individual
butterfly made one or a few visits during one or several days. The best year was 1992 when a
Peacock was recorded in the garden on ten different days between 7 August and 14 September,
and in one day (10 September) two individuals were noted at the same time. The adults hibernate
overwinter and reappear in the spring, but only individuals of the subsequent generation were
recorded in the garden. The paucity of Peacock butterflies in the garden is in keeping with my
own observations that the species is uncommon in Northumberland and the comment of Cook
(1990) that it "is very thinly distributed" in that county.
Wall Brown Lasiommata megera (L.)
The Wall Brown was recorded in the garden in 9 (25%) of the twenty-five years, but it should be
noted that it did not reappear in Northumberland until August 1976 after a long absence (Dunn &
Parrack, 1986; Ellis, 1994). The first garden record, a female, was on 2 September 1978.
Generally only one or two individuals were recorded in any one year and these were from the
second generation over the period 12 August - 11 September. The exceptional year was 1990
when a single butterfly was recorded from the first brood (from overwintering larva) on 14 May
and three further individuals on 12, 16 and 23 August. Males and females appeared in about equal
numbers over the twenty-five years.
The source of the butterflies is uncertain. The Wall Brown is a well-known nomad and may have
come from afar. Alternatively, since it has been a fairly regular visitor in recent years, it might
have come from a local unrecognised colony, for example in the adjacent golf course. The nearest
colonies known to me are located at Tynemouth, near Knott's Flats (NZ363688, NZ368691 and
NZ373692); at Whitley Bay opposite St Mary's Island (NZ344756); at North Shields, dismantled
railway near Middle Engine Lane (NZ321691 to NZ322694), and Wallsend, Rising Sun Country
Park (NZ311737, NZ322752 and NZ335763)
38

Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina (L.)
Although widespread and common in the North-East the Meadow Brown was recorded in the
garden in only 6 (24%) of the twenty-five years. Generally only one or two individuals were
recorded in any one year and never more than one at a time. On only one occasion (19 July 1992)
were there records for two different individuals in one day. The species is single-brooded and
garden visits were between 18 June and 12 August The paucity of garden records for such a
common butterfly is explained by the fact that this species seldom flies far from its breeding sites
(Thomas, 1986).
Discussion
Since 1989 Butterfly Conservation has published annual reports of garden butterflies in the UK
(Vickery, 1990-93). Those accounts are based on records provided by different observers
throughout the country and provide an overall picture of the prevalence of various species of
butterflies, but are not concerned with long-term monitoring of the changes in gardens. Many of
the data relate to gardens in the Midlands and South of England. While an attempt is made to take
regional differences into account, the value of this is strictly limited since, for example, in one
such report the Northern Region is defined to include Cheshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
to the Scottish Border (Vickery, 1991). In the North East of England conditions for butterflies are
not as favourable as they are further south and there are fewer recorded species. Excluding the
Large Copper and Large Blue there are up to 59 resident and/or regular migrant species of
butterflies in the U.K. (Thomas and Lewington, 1991) and of these only 23 are listed by Cook
(1990) for the whole of southern Northumberland (VC67).
Thirteen is an unexpectedly large number of species to be recorded in a small garden in North
Tyneside. The garden and house plot straddles the NZ70 grid line at a point where Cook (1990)
lists 14 and 12 species, respectively, for the whole of the northern and southern 10 Km squares
about this line and only 6 species in the two northern and southern tetrads combined. Some of the
discrepancy results simply from the lack of records available to Cook when his Atlas was drawn
up but, in addition, there have been several unexpected species in the garden during recent years.
Particularly noteworthy amongst these are the Large Skipper and Holly Blue. According to the
nature of their appearance in the garden the butterflies may be classified as regular, occasional, or
rare visitors, as migrants or as erratics. Theoretically butterflies in any of these categories may
mate and/or oviposit in the garden but in practice it was found to be true only for the regular
visitors such as the Large White, Small White and Green-veined White. The Holly Blue was a
special case and ova were found in the garden in spite of its rarity. In contrast the Small
Tortoiseshell which was the commonest visitor did not lay any eggs in the garden. For success a
large patch of nettles, not less than 6 square feet and preferably over 16 square feet, is needed and
this should be sheltered but in full sun during much of the day (Vickery, 1992b). Few are
prepared to devote such a large prime area of a small garden to this use.
39

The main factors in attracting butterflies to a small garden are the provision of a warm sheltered
place and flowering plants as a source of nectar. Any larval foodplants must be suitably located.
Flowers are most attractive in sunlight and feeding butterflies can regularly be seen moving from
one batch of flowers or flowering shrubs to others as the garden shadows change throughout the
day.
During the period of the reported observations the garden has contained a wide variety of flowers
and shrubs, many of which were grown because they are known to be attractive to butterflies. In
the previous four years the garden was immature and fewer butterflies were recorded. Plants
grown have included Primrose, Forget-me-not, Aubrietia, Yellow Alyssum, Sweet William,
Valerian, Marjoram, Candytuft, Mint, Lavender, Fleabane, Heather, Hebe, Buddleia and Ice
Plant. In some years vegetables such as Brassicas have been grown and proved highly attractive
to ovipositing Large and Small White females. When several different species visited the garden
on the same day or simultaneously it was Buddleia, Hebe and Fleabane which proved the most
attractive, although the Holly Blue preferred Heather as well as Hebe. Some species liked to bask
on the sheltered warm brickwork (Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Peacock) or on the warm
bare earth (Small Tortoiseshell and Painted Lady).
Many factors must influence which particular species visit the garden in any particular year. In
the present series of observations there were considerable variations from year to year. During the
last quinquennium of the study, which was following my retirement, there have been more
opportunities to observe butterflies in the garden. To this extent the annual records are not strictly
comparable with each other. Particularly in the first twenty years many visits by butterflies must
have gone unwitnessed. This probably partly explains the greater numbers of species recorded
since 1989, but other factors such as the arrival of the Holly Blue in the area for the first time and
the generally favourable conditions for butterflies in the whole of the North East during the period
1989-1992 also played an important role. When less favourable weather conditions prevailed
during 1993 only five species were recorded in the garden.
References
Cook, NJ., 1990. An Atlas of the Butterflies of Northumberland and Durham. Newcastle upon
Tyne: Hancock Museum.
Dunn, T.C. & Parrack, J.D., 1986. The Moths and Butterflies of Northumberland and Durham.
Part 1; Macrolepidoptera {The Vasculum, supplement No. 2). Northern Naturalists' Union.
Ellis, H.A., 1990. The Holly Blue Butterfly Celastrina argiolus Linn., in Tynemouth. A new
record for Northumberland. The Vasculum 75(3): 43-44.
Ellis, H.A., 1992. Further observations on the Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus L. in North
Tyneside. The Vasculum 77(1): 4-5.
Ellis, H.A., 1993. A review and update of the evidence for the Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus
Linn. as a resident in North-East England. The Vasculum 77(4): 79-83.
Ellis, H.A., 1994. The status of the Wall Brown butterfly, Lasiommata megera L., in
Northumberland, 1965-1991 in relation to local weather. Transactions of the Natural History
Society of Northumbria 56(2): 135-152.
40

Ellis, H. & Ellis, C., 1991. Garden Aubrietia as foodplant for the Green-veined White, Pieris
napi. Butterfly Conservation News 48: 42-43.
Emmet, A.M. & Heath, J., 1989. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume
7, Part 1: The Butterflies. Great Horkesely: Harley Books
Thomas, JA, 1986. RSNC Guide to Butterflies of the British Isles. Twickenham: Country Life
Books.
Thomas, J. & Lewington, R., 1991. The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland. London: Dorling
Kindersley.
Tucker, M., 1991. The Red Admiral {Vanessa atalanta Linn.) Problems posed by the hibernation
and migration habits of the species. Occasional paper, British Butterfly Conservation Society.
Vickery, M., 1990-1993. National Garden Butterfly Survey Reports. Butterfly Conservation News
(1990) 44: 37-39; (1991)47: 32-38, 48: 26-30, (1992) 50:42-49; (1993) 53: 50-59.
Vickery, M., 1992. Garden stinging nettle survey. Butterfly Conservation News 50: 21-23.
41

Marine mites - pioneer Naturalists in Northern England.
R. A. Baker., Department of Pure and Applied Biology, The University of Leeds.
Most mites (Arachnida: Acari) are free living but many are parasites and some are of considerable
economic importance. Some mites live on land, others in freshwater, or between the tides and at
depth in the oceans. Intertidal mites consist of two groups. The true marine mites (Halacaridae,
Halacaroidea) [1] are fully adapted to life in the marine habitat but others, which can survive the
extreme conditions of exposure and submersion, are essentially air breathing land animals.
Several naturalists in northern England, in the mid- nineteenth century, began to study marine
mites in a serious way. Others, although they did not work on them in any detail, made
observations and collections [2]. The dredging craze which developed at this time, helped to
increase the number of species and several of the early records were taken off the costs of
Durham and Yorkshire at depths of 10-30 fathoms (Brady, 1875). By 1863, nine marine Acari, all
Halacarids, had been described (Hodge 1860, 1863). This paper examines some of the pioneering
work done by three northern naturalists.
George Johnston (1797-1855) [3] was an Edinburgh-trained doctor who, although born in
Scotland, settled and practised in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. He was founder of the
Berwickshire Naturalists' Club in 1831 [4] and of the Ray Society in 1844 and one of the editors
of the Magazine of Zoology and Botany, the forerunner of the Annals and Magazine of Natural
History. He published widely in Natural History and in 1836 described the mite Thalassarachna
hasten (Johnston) (Acarus hasten, Johnston 1836] [5] from dredged material collected off the
Berwickshire coast. Between 1849 and 1854, records and biology of several other marine
dwelling mites were published. His 1836 paper is noteworthy since it is the first in Britain on the
subject. Johnston was not only a 'busy practitioner of medicine, prolific naturalist, author, editor
and correspondent. He also found the time to be Mayor of Berwick- upon-Tweed for three terms
of office' (Colloff, 1989).
George Hodge (1833-1871) [6], a businessman, lived at Seaham [7], County Durham and was one
of the most dedicated of a close knit dredging circle. His special groups were the echinoderms,
pycnogonids and the marine mites. Hodge was described as being able to make 'careful
observations and exquisite drawings' and had a 'retiring and unassuming disposition' (Atkinson,
1872). Working in close association with George Stewardson Brady (1832-1921) [8], he made
dredging expeditions, some with grants from the British Association for the Advancement of
Science [9]. Hodge also collected mites from intertidal seaweeds and describes how he took some
tufts of Corallina officinalis from the rocks, examined them with a hand lens and on noting 'a
small insect ... it was immediately placed in an Animalculae cage, and examined by the
microscope ... Camera lucida sketches were made' (Hodge, 1860). This mite proved to be
Rhombognathides seahami (Hodge) [Pachygnathus seahami Hodge, 1860] which is widely
distributed around British coasts and named after the place where Hodge lived. In a further paper
(Hodge, 1863) he reported on four previously undescribed marine acari, then new to Great Britain
[10].
45

Copidognathus granulatus (Hodge) [Halacarus granulatus Hodge 1863]
Copidognathus oculatus (Hodge) sensu Lohmann, 1889 [Halacarus oculatus Hodge 1863]
Lohmannella falcata (Hodge) [Leptognathus falcatus Hodge 1863]
Simognathus minutus (Hodge) [Pachygnathus minutus Hodge 1863]
The first three were found below tidal level at 15 to 30 fathoms whereas S. minutus was collected
on the shore. Clearly, Hodge was a good descriptive biologist and his work has stood the test of
time. Regrettably he died of cholera at the age of 38.
George S. Brady had a long and very active life. Born in Gateshead and trained in Newcastle, he
was a doctor in Sunderland for many years and then Professor of Natural History at the College of
Physical Science (later Armstrong College) in Newcastle, a post he held from 1875 to 1906.
Brady was President of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club on four occasions and a Fellow of the
Royal Society. Although his speciality was microcrustacea, Brady published a review of marine
mites with descriptions of some new species in 1875. His specimens were largely obtained from
'the washings of material dredge in depths of several fathoms' (Brady, 1875), where he sometimes
found considerable numbers of these animals in the mud. In this paper, published four years after
Hodge's death, Brady was critical of Hodge's work, describing some of Hodge's species as
'spurious'. However, amongst Brady's specimens was a supposedly new halacarid Pachygnathus
sculptus Brady 1875, which proved to be the same species as Hodge (1863) had described earlier,
now Simognathus minutus (Hodge). Three other new species, belonging to the terrestrial
component of the marine fauna,were also described in that paper - Trombidium fucicolum,
Gamasus marinus and Chelytus robertsoni.
These men have several features in common. They all lived and worked on or near the coast in the
north east of England. They were active in local field clubs and societies and involved in their
foundation. All were productive naturalists with a wide range of interests but none worked
exclusively on mites; indeed it was just one of several groups that attracted their attention. Until
that time little work had been done on marine mites but their papers, still widely quoted, laid the
foundations for marine acarology in Britain. Contemporary work on mites (Moore 1973, Baker
1982, Bartsch 1985) on the coats of north-east Britain, and on British marine Halacarids in
general (Green and MacQuitty, 1987), illustrate the debt we owe to these pioneers. The cover of
The Vasculum perpetuates the memory of two of them - Hodge and Johnston. Johnston, on the
title page of his 'Acarides of Berwickshire' gave his reasons for studying mites 'Yet they are
pleasant to examine from their symmetrical neatness and their vivid colouring; they afford
examples of many curious and admirable structures' [11].
References
Atkinson, G. C., 1872. Address to the members of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club. Natural
History Transactions of Northumberland and Durham 4: 514-526.
46

Baker, R. A., 1982. Intertidal mites found in association with Semibalanus balanoides (L.) and
Mytilus edulis (L.) at Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire. Naturalist 107: 29-
31.
Bartsch, I.,1985. Notes on The halacaridae(Acari) of Yorkshire. Naturalist 110: 41-48.
Bartsch, I., 1988. Halacaroidea in Introduction to the study of Meiofauna. Editors R.P. Higgins
and H. Thiel, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. Chapter 44, 417-422.
Brady, G. S., 1875. A review of the British marine mites with descriptions of some new species.
Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 20: 301-311.
Colloff, M. J., 1989. George Johnston; notes on his life and acarological works. EURAAC
Newsletter 2 (3): 10-18.
Davis, P. and Brewer, C., 1986, Editors. A Catalogue of Natural Science Collections in North-
East England with biographical notes on the collectors. 333 pp. North of England Museums
Service.
Fountain, H. C., 1953. An examination of the original slides of marine acari of Hodge, 1863.
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 32:357-364.
Green, J. and MacQuitty, M.1987. Halacarid mites. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series)
edited by D. M. Kermack and R. S. K. Barnes, No. 36. Linnean Society, London, E. J. Brill,
Leiden.
Hodge, G., 1860. Contributions to the marine zoology ofSeaham Harbour. 1. On a new marine
mite {Pachygnathus seahami). Transactions of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club 4(4): 319.
Hodge, G., 1863. Contributions to the marine zoology of Seaham Harbour. On some undescribed
marine Acari. Transactions of the Tyneside Naturalists* Field Club 5(4) 298-303.
Johnston, G., 1836. Illustrations in British Zoology. Magazine of Natural History 9:353-357.
Johnston, G., 1849-1854. The Acarides of Berwickshire Specifically Described. History of the
Berwickshire Naturalists' Field Club 2: 221-233(1849); 289-316 (1850); 347-351(1851); 3: 113-
122(1853); 158-160(1854).
Lunn, A. G., 1983, Editor. A History of Naturalists in North East England. 112 pp. Department of
Adult Education, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Meek, A.1922. Obituary George Stewardson Brady, F.R.S. The Vasculum 8: 97-99.
Moore, P. G., 1973. The kelp fauna of northeast Britain. II. Multivariate classification: Turbidity
as an ecological factor. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 13: 127-163.
Notes
1. See Bartsch 1988.
2. Hodge's collections are held in the Hancock Museum, Newcastle. Alfred Merle
Norman (1831-1918) also made collections of marine mites in the north east of
England. Fountain 1953 examined Hodge's original slides and made 3 alterations in
synonomy.
3. For Johnston's life and work see Colloff 1989.
47

4. The Berwickshire Naturalists' Club was the first of its kind and a model for
subsequent field clubs and natural history societies.
5. Throughout this paper, the name in square brackets is the original name given to the
species.
6. Hodge was a keen microscopist and attended and demonstrated at the Microscopic
Soiree, held in Tyneside in 1858, said to be the first held in the provinces (see
Transactions of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club 4 (1) 1858: 10-11. For obituary
of Hodge see Atkinson, 1872.
7. Hodge was a founder of the Natural History Club of Seaham harbour.
8. For details on G. S. Brady and the other naturalists dealt with, see Davis and Brewer
1986 and Lunn 1983. For obituary on Brady see Meek 1922.
9. See Natural History Transactions of Northumberland and Durham 4, 1872, 524-526.
10. For details on these and other British marine halacarids see Green and MacQuitty
11. 1987.
12. See Johnston (1849-1854)-Title page of latter figured in Colloff, 1989, 13.
The invertebrates of Cross Pell and Dun Fell summits, Cumbria
I. S. Downie, J. C. Coulson, L. J. Bauer, J. E. L Butterfield, L Davies and S. A.Goodyer.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE
Introduction
This paper presents the relative abundance and distribution of various invertebrate groups on the
three highest fell-top plateaux of the North Pennines, England. Few studies have been carried out
on the distribution of invertebrates in these habitats. Most notable are those of Butterfield and
Coulson (1983) and Coulson and Butterfield (1986), who examined both Carabidae and Araneae
distribution over a variety of habitats ranging from 11m to 847m O.D. Bauer (1989a, b) studied
Carabidae and Staphylinidae faunas of isolated limestone outcrops and adjacent peat close to our
study areas. This survey concentrates on the invertebrates trapped above 820m on the relatively
flat plateaux of two summits in the Moor House National Nature Reserve, Cumbria (Little Dun
Fell (842m) and Great Dun Fell (848m)), and Cross Fell (893m), the highest point in the Pennines
and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Seven sites were sampled from Cross Fell, three from Little Dun Fell and three from Great Dun
Fell (Figure 1). All sites were lying on medium to coarse-grained yellow sandstone. Over 5,000
individual Araneae, 22,000 Coleoptera, 60 Hemiptera and 15,000 Diptera were trapped and
identified from all thirteen sites, and their distribution is outlined below.
Methods
At each site, six pitfall traps (70mm diameter, 70mm depth, plastic cups) inserted into the ground
with the rim flush with the surface, containing 2% Formalin and detergent solution, were used to
collect the material. These were arranged in a line with two metres between each trap. Sampling
was carried out from April to October 1991,
48

traps being emptied approximately every two weeks. Site location, physical features and
vegetation characteristics (including nearest National Vegetation Classification code (Hill, 1993))
are summarised in Table 1. Identification of the Araneae was carried out with reference to
Roberts (1985) and Locket and Millidge (1951-53), Coleoptera mainly using Joy (1932) and
Lindroth (1974), whilst Diptera identification was carried out using Royal Entomological Society
handbooks (Vols. 9 & 10). Nomenclature follows Kloet and Hinks (1976) for Diptera, except for
the Sphaeroceridae which follows Pitkin (1985). Coleoptera follow Kloet and Hinks (1977), and
Roberts (1985) was used for the Araneae. Hemiptera nomenclature follows Kloet & Hinks (1964).
Invertebrate species status category definitions follow that of Eversham (1983), where RDB
applies to species included in the British Red Data Book (Shirt 1987). Na is defined as Notable A,
species which are thought to occur in 30 or fewer 10 km squares of the National Grid. Notable B
(Nb) species are thought to occur in between 31 and 100 km squares of the National Grid.
Results
The abundance and distribution of the 56 species of Araneae recorded are given in Table 2. Most
of the species found on the fell tops are characteristic of high ground in Scotland and northern
England. Two species, Hilaira frigida and Oreonetides vaginatus , are typical of montane habitats
(Ratcliffe 1977), and seven are typical of submontane habitats; Waickenaeria clavicornis,
Pelecopsis mengei, Rhaebothorax morulus, Semijicola caliginosa, Hilaira nubigena, Meioneta
gulosa and Lepthyphantes angulatus (all Linyphiidae). Two species are classed as nationally
notable. Hilaira nubigena (Na) is confined to a small area of northern England apart from a single
specimen collected from Sutherland (Merrett 1971). Semijicola caliginosa (Nb), found in similar
habitats to H. nubigena, is more widespread in northern England and Scotland but never common.
Both species were recorded in numbers at sites CF6 and GDF1, where dense vegetation occurred.
The 120 Coleoptera species recorded are listed in Table 3. Nine species are classed as being
Notable, all in the Nb category. These are; Notiophilus aestuans, Miscodera arctica (Carabidae);
Hydroporus longicomis (Dytisidae); Geodromicus longipes, Anthophagus alpinus, Mycetoporus
punctus, Ocyusa hibemica, Oxypoda soror (Staphylinidae); Oulimnius troglodytes (Elmidae).
Most of these species were trapped singly or in very few numbers. Only one species trapped was
considered rare; Hydnobius spinipes (Leiodidae), and only eight specimens were taken, one at
Site CF3 and seven from Site GDF3. This species occurs throughout Europe and North Africa,
but the scant British evidence suggests that H. spinipes is a moorland species. The only other
records for this species are from Snowdon, Alport Dale, Cannock Chase and Kinder Scout (J.
Cooler, pers comm.). A total of 7222 specimens of Geodromicus longipes were recorded from all
sites on Cross Fell and Little Dun Fell, yet none was taken from Great Dun Fell. G. longipes and
Otiorhynchus nodosus (Curculionidae) are among the most common Coleoptera found at high
altitude in Britain (Thompson et a/.1987). Fifty-eight specimens of an Atheta sp. (Staphylinidae)
were taken from sites on all three fell tops, but these specimens do not correspond to any known
British species.
49

In July 1986, L. D. collected four specimens of Nebria nivalis (Carabidae) from a site on Cross
Fell (Grid Ref. NY 685343) near the 1991 sites CF1, CF6 and CF7. N. nivalis is a montane
species, most numerous in the upper alpine zone, associated with snow fields and glaciers
(Lindroth 1985). In Britain, it is long known from various Scottish Highland localities, but has
more recently been found on Scafell Pike in the Lake District (Key 1981). N. nivalis is classed as
a rare species, given category RDB3, and these specimens are the first to be found in the North
Pennines. No specimens were taken during the 1991 survey.
Few species of Hemiptera (Table 4) were recorded, and most are also associated with lowland
environments. The Pennine plateau is the highest altitude record (840m, LDF1) for the
Homopteran Philaenus spumarius (Cercopidae) in Britain (J. B. Whittaker, pers comm.).
The Diptera list (Table 5) omits the families Sciaridae and Phoridae, which were not identified.
Most of the Diptera species trapped are widely distributed elsewhere, but a few are frequently
associated with upland situations; Tipula montana (Tipulidae); Bibio pomonae (Bibionidae);
Empis verralli (Empididae); Dolichopus rupestris (Dolichopodidae); Gonatherus planiceps
(Scathophagidae). Tipula montana was previously thought to be a more or less exclusively
montane species, but recent studies have shown that it now occurs on areas of lower, drier heaths
in northern England (Todd and Coulson 1993). Gonatherus planiceps is rare, classed as RDB3
and is mainly restricted to the central Highlands in Scotland, but has also been noted in Cumbria.
Empis rufiventris (Empididae) is known as a woodland species which is locally common, found
most often in the south midland counties of England. A single specimen was take at Site GDF2.
Speolepta leptogaster (Mycetophilidae) is a common cave dweller which is only occasionally
found above ground. A single specimen was taken at Site LDF1.
Conclusions
The spiders from the North Pennine fell tops show affinities with those of the more northerly
montane and sub-montane plateaux of the Cairngorms in Eastern Scotland, though the larger
plateau area of the Cairngorms does possess a more diverse spider fauna. Species which are
abundant in the Cairngorms but are absent from the Pennine fell tops include Erigone tirolensis,
Rhaebothorax peatulus, Meineta nigripes (Linyphiidae), all also recorded from Ben Hope
(Merrett 1971), and the large lycosid Tricca alpigena (restricted to the Cairngorm massif). Of the
56 species recorded in this study, 28 have also been found in the Cairngorms by Downie and 29
recorded by Merrett (1971) on Ben Hope and Foinaven, Sutherland. Most beetle species recorded
from the North Pennine plateaux belong to the Carabidae and Staphylinidae (as is found in the
global Coleoptera fauna above the tree line; Mani 1968). The present Diptera fauna is poorly
known and as such distribution of species is difficult to ascertain. There are no strictly montane
Hemiptera, most are presumably carried up by winds or upward currents of air, probably a similar
explanation for the lowland species of other groups too. Indeed, Bauer (1989) found that 59% of
the Staphylinid species trapped at Moor House NNR were caught only in window traps and were
previously unrecorded for that area, many being blown up from the Eden Valley
50

immediately west of the reserve. The Cairngorms are much larger in plateau area, and also higher
in altitude. There may not be vast differences in the numbers of species, but the proportion of true
high altitude species is greater in the Cairngorms. The influence of vagrant species from
bordering areas has a much greater impact on the species composition of the North Pennines,
whereas the Cairngorm massif has a greater buffering zone, possessing a larger reservoir of
resident species. The smaller numbers of montane and sub-montane invertebrate species recorded
on the Pennine plateaux than on the Cairngorms conforms to the prediction of island
biogeographical theory (MacArthur & Wilson 1967).
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank English Nature and Terry Wells in particular for help with access to the
study areas. The identification of certain invertebrates were kindly confirmed by Peter Merrett
and Clifford Smith (Araneae), Martin Luff (Carabidae), Les Jessop (Curculionidae), Peter
Chandler (Mycetophilidae), John Whittaker (Hemiptera). Assistance in sampling was given by
Eric Henderson and sorting by Laura Tregoning.
References
Bauer, L.J., 1989a. Moorland beetle communities on limestone 'habitat islands'. 1.Isolation,
invasion and local species diversity in carabids and staphylinids. Journal of Animal Ecology 58:
1077-1098.
Bauer, L.J., 1989b. Moorland beetle communities on limestone 'habitat islands'. 11.Flight activity,
and its influence on local staphylinid diversity. Journal of Animal Ecology 58:1099-1113.
Butterfield, J.E.L. & Coulson, J.C., 1983. The carabid communities on peat and upland grasslands
in Northern England. Holarctic Ecology : 163-174.
Coulson, J.C. & Butterfield, J.E.L., 1986. The spider communities on peat and upland grasslands
in Northern England. Holarctic Ecology : 229-239.
Eversham, B.C., 1983. Defining rare and notable species, with special reference to invertebrates:
a discussion. Invertebrate Site Register- Report No 49: 1-29.London: Nature Conservancy
Council.
Hill, M.O., 1993. TABLEFIT Version 0.0, for identification of vegetation types.
Huntingdon: Institute of Terrestrial Ecology.
Joy, N.H., 1932. A Practical Handbook of British Beetles. London: Witherby.
Key, R.S., 1981. Nebria nivalis (Payk.), (Col., Carabidae) on Scafell Pike, Cumbria.
Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 116: 160
Kloet, G.S. & Hinks, W.D., 1964. A checklist of British Insects: Small orders and Hemiptera.
Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 11(1). Royal Entomological Society of
London.
Kloet, G.S. & Hinks, W.D., 1976. A checklist of British Insects: Diptera and Siphonaptera.
Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 11(5). Royal Entomological Society of
London.
Kloet, G.S. & Hinks, W.D., 1977. A checklist of British Insects: Coleoptera and Strepsiptera.
Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 11(3). Royal Entomological Society of
London.
51

Undroth, C.H., 1974. Coleoptera: Carabidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British
Insects 4(2). Royal Entomological Society of London.
Lindroth, C.H., 1985. The Carabidae (Coleoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark.Fauna
Entomologica Scandinavica 15(1): 1-225.
Locket, G.H. & Millidge, A.F., 1951. British Spiders. 1 London: Ray Society,
Locket, G.H. & Millidge, A.F., 1953. British Spiders. 2 London: Ray Society.
MacArthur, R.H. & Wison, E.G., 1967. The Theory ofisland Biogeography.Princeton, New Jersey
Mani, M.S., 1968. Ecology and Biogeography of High Altitude Insects. Series Entomologica. 4:1-
527
Merrett, P., 1971. The spiders of Ben Hope and Foinaven, Sutherland. Bulletin of the British
Arachnological Society 2: 211-231.
Pitkin, B.R., 1985. Lesser Dung Flies (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae). Handbooks for the Identification
of Bntish Insects 10(5e).Royal Entomological Society of London.
Ratcliffe, D.A., 1977. A Nature Conservation Review. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Roberts, M.J., 1985. The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland. Vols. 1,2 & 3. Essex:Harley
Books.
Shirt, D.B., 1987. British Red Data Books: 2. Insects. Peterborough: Nature Conservancy
Council.
Thompson, D.B.A, Galbraith, H. & Horsfield, D., 1987. Ecology and resources of Britain's
mountain plateaux: Land use and impacts. Agriculture and Conservation in the Hills and
Uplands. (Ed. by M. Bell and R.G.H. Bunce), pp. 22-31. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology,
Merlewood.
Todd, C. & Coulson, J.C., 1993. A new habitat and change in distribution of Tipula Montana
Curtis (Dip.Tipulidae) Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 129: 255-256.
52

Table 1. The location and characteristics of the 13 fell-top sites sampled. Cross Fell samples arc
CFI to CF7. Little Dun Fell samples LDFI to LDF3 and Great Dun Fell samples ODF1 to GDF3.
Figure 1. Map of study area showing position of 13 sampling sites at Cross Fell, Little Dun Fell
and Great Dun Fell. Cumbria. Location as inset.
53

Table 2. The numbers of different Araneae species recorded at 13 sites from Cross Fell,Little Dun
Fell and Great Dun Fell during 1991. Details of the sites are given in Table 1.
54

Table 3. The numbers of different Coleoptera species recorded at 13 sites from Cross Fell,Little
Dun Fell and Great Dun Fell during 1991. Details of the sites are given in Table 1.
56

Table 5. The numbers of different Diptera species recorded at 13 sites from Cross Fell, Little Dun
Fell and Great Dun Fell during 1991. Details of the sites are given in Table 1.
60

THE VASCULUM
JANUARY, 1995
65
ISSN 0049-5891
Vol. 79. No. 4 Price £6.00 per annum
Edited by:
A. COLES and L JESSOP
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery, Borough Road, Sunderland.
BY THE WAY
Secretaries of societies and other contributors to The Vasculum should send their notes to
the editors before 15 March 1995
Jack Newton
Following the note in the April issue of The Vasculum about Jack Newton's collection and library,
it is our sad duty to inform our readers that he has since passed away. Those N.N.U. members
with long memories will remember that before the war Jack was one of the most active naturalists
in the Union, as his connection with the N.N.U. spanned a period of well over half a century!
Jack was born in Sunderland in 1907 and was educated at the Bede Grammar School, to which he
returned as a teacher after obtaining a BSc in mathematics at London University. As a teacher,
Jack was ideally placed to inspire young people with a love of Natural History, and indeed he was
one

of those, unfortunately, rare members of the profession who throw themselves whole-heartedly
into that task. Not only did his pupils learn to identify the animals and plants around them, but he
also taught them how to make their own apparatus for studying nature.
Towards the end of the war Jack moved with his family from Sunderland to Gloucestershire,
where he became Deputy Head Teacher of Tetbury Grammar School. He maintained contacts
with our area, and continued subscribing to The Vasculum until shortly before his death. Jack
loved the North-East dearly and was always quick to share experiences of his early days with his
family and friends. He was very grateful to those who helped and accompanied him in his early
mothing days. Only marriage and the need to develop his career would have kept him away from
his beloved roots.
Jack's special interest lay in the butterflies and moths, and he was one of the few lepidopterists
who were not afraid of the "micros". A number of records were contributed by him to The
Vasculum, and his name appears against records in Dunn & Parrack. He appears to have shunned
active participation on committees while in this area, but in 1938 he served as Assistant Secretary
in the Entomological Section of the N.N.U. a sign, in passing, of how active the Union was in
those days.
Jack published a number of papers on Lepidoptera in The Entomologist, Entomologist's Gazette
and Proceedings of the British Entomologist's Society.
Jack was married to Miriam for nearly fifty years. Just as Jack's hobby was Lepidoptera, so
Miriam enjoyed a reputation locally for her musical gifts, notably singing. The support Miriam
gave to his entomological fervour was a feature of their marriage. Sadly, Miriam died after a long
illness some three years before Jack.
Our sympathies go to Jack's two daughters Denise and Miriam, and to his six grandchildren and
three great-grandchildren.
66

The story of a garden bumble bee
T.C.Dunn, The Poplars, Durham Road, Chester-le-Street, County Durham.
In my garden I have always been faced with the difficulty of disposing of hardwood cuttings.
These accumulate from annual trimmings of shrubs and from the pruning of apple-trees and roses
every autumn. Eventually I decided that the best solution was to burn at intervals. A number of
old building bricks lying about the garden, together with reinforcements from periodic decisions
to spend money on modern house alterations, seemed to provide the answer. A rather less-thanregular
square structure was built by placing the bricks loosely upon each other with spaces
between for ventilation. The structure finished at about 2 ft high when the bricks were all used up,
but the central space was quite large enough at about 4 ft square.
I found this primitive structure sufficient for its purpose and it has served myself and my family
for some forty or so years. It has had to be repaired from time to time but otherwise is basically
the same as at its birth.
Some four or five years ago I was interested and privileged to see small numbers of the garden
bee, Bombus hortorum entering one of the ventilation holes between two bricks at about ground
level, obviously constructing a nesting site. When woody material had to be burned the bees did
not seem to mind having a raging inferno overhead and continued their work without apparent
discomfort.
Eventually the accumulation of wood-ash built up to the top of the bonfire structure and had to be
removed. It was carefully shovelled out without disturbing the bees and all remained as happy as
before. The ash was used as fertiliser in the garden. This practice of a queen Bombus hortorum
taking up residence between the bricks in the spring of each year became a regular occurence and
I took care not to disturb them.
This year the presence of bumble bees was noted to be in the bricks as usual. I had to shovel out
the ash rather earlier than usual but I had failed to notice anything different about the position of
the bumble bees' nest and proceeded to extract the ash. About halfway down the accumulation I
suddenly broke into a small cavity which caused me to pause for inspection. It suddenly dawned
upon me that I had broken into the roof of the bumble bees' home because there was a distinct
noise of buzzing coming from the hole. I left the ash extraction job at this point in order not to
disturb the owners any more for the time being and went away to ponder on future plans.
67

A day or so later, having failed to think of any solution, I was again in the vicinity of the bonfire
structure. There, to my surprise, the bees had decided that the hole formed as a result of my
clumsiness was just the thing for a more convenient entry and exit to their home. They had
decided upon the solution to the problem themselves and I was glad to accept it. I shall dig no
more ash until the autumn when the bees will all die, having reached their allotted span of life and
left only one or two fertile juvenile queens to hide away in some sheltered spot until the spring of
1995 causes them to awake to their new duties and problems.
During the autumn, I shall be interested to break open the nest cavity and examine the details of
the bumble bees' home in some detail, for I have never had the opportunity to do this in such a
fresh example before.
p.s. Not a very scientific story you might be heard to mutter, and one in which the solution was so
simple. But you are not a bumble bee, are you? Moreover it could lead to the study of more
detailed bee habits, a type of study that is gaining attention in many individual wild species. For
how else could we begin to learn something of how the genes themselves have evolved to pass on
such habits from one generation to the next?
The Marbled White, Melanargia galathea L in Bishop Middleham Quarry, County Durham
H.A. Ellis. 16 Southlands, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear.
The purpose of this communication is to alert local naturalists, especially lepidopterists, to the
presence of introduced Marbled White butterflies in Bishop Middleham Quarry, and to avoid
possible confusion of records.
Tom Dunn telephoned on 14 July 1994 to inform me that a visiting entomologist, Mr Price from
Warwickshire, had contacted him with the news that he had seen several Marbled White
butterflies in Bishop Middleham Quarry that day. At Tom Dunn's suggestion I visited the site on
15 July and was able to confirm the presence of two fresh-looking Marbled Whites.
The presence of this species was totally unexpected since its northernmost limit is considered to
be the Yorkshire Wolds (Rate & Jefferson, 1983). The Marbled White is not a nomad and
colonies tend to be strictly localised.
68

Therefore it seemed highly unlikely that individual butterflies had flown in from any great
distance further south. The indications were that these butterflies had been introduced by some
unknown individual(s),
This suspicion was confirmed when, on 16 July Tom Dunn telephoned to inform me that he had
just heard through a third party that a couple of gravid Marbled Whites had been released in the
quarry the previous season. Assuming that there have been no further more-recent introductions
then presumably the individuals seen were the offspring of these. At present the reason for this
introduction is unclear. One must assume that the whole episode is not merely a hoax to confuse
ongoing serious monitoring of this valuable site, and that those responsible were motivated by
good, if somewhat misguided, intentions. They must have been aware of the accepted Code of
Practice for the release of butterflies which has been well-publicised, for example by Butterfly
Conservation (Smith, 1992; Dunbar, 1991). All releases should serve some clear and desirable
purpose and be scientifically necessary. Permission should be obtained from the land owners of
the receiving site and since Bishop Middleham Quarry is an SSSI, then prior consent should have
been obtained from English Nature. As far as I am aware the introduction was unauthorised.
It is hoped that this note will prevent any confusion of future records at the site. In the long-term,
attempts to establish a species outside its normal range are unlikely to succeed, colonies dying out
after a few years (Dunbar, 1993).
On a happier note, at the time of my visit to the quarry there were numerous Northern Brown
Argus, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Small Heath butterflies. Also, and perhaps less wellknown
in the quarry, there were a few Small Skippers (four confirmed close-up) and moderate
numbers of Ringlets (nine confirmed close-up). I have noticed the Small Skipper on a previous
visit (five males on 13.vii.1993) but have not previously encountered the Ringlet at this location.
Its natural presence is feasible since Tom Dunn tells me that there are colonies of this species in
the vicinity of nearby Thrislington.
References
Dunbar, D., 1993. Saving Butterflies. Colchester: British Butterfly Conservation Society.
Fry, R. & Lonsdale, D., 1991 (eds.) Habitat Conservation for Insects a neglected Green Issue
(The Amateur Entomologist vol. 21). Middlesex: Amateur Entomologists’ Society.
69

Rafe, R.W. & Jefferson, R.G., 1983. The status of Melanargia galathea (Lepidoptera: Satyridae)
in the Yorkshire Wolds. The Naturalist 108: 3-7.
Smith, R., 1992. Repopulation projects and butterfly conservation. Butterfly Conservation News
Privet Hawk Moth in Berwick upon Tweed
Peter Tennant, 1 Allerwash Hall East, Hexham, Northumberland.
On the trade stand of ANGLO SCOTTISH Pest Control and Environmental Services at the 1994
Glendale Show I saw a photograph of a Privet Hawk Moth (Sphinx ligustn). Shirley Undsay, a
partner in the firm, kindly sent me the following account of its capture.
"on the 18 September 1992 we received a telephone call from a very upset lady who informed us
that she was being attacked by some kind of beast which she described as a "hairy bat". She lived
on a council housing estate called Roberts Lodge here in Berwick upon Tweed, that is on the
English side of the border. My partner went round to the house, discovered the "beast" to be a
moth, and brought it back to be identified and photographed. We then let it go on rough land near
the railway line".
This is a remarkable story. Dunn & Parrack have only one record, of a larva, for this century and
even in Yorkshire there have, as Sutton & Beaumont in The Butterflies and Moths of Yorkshire
(1989) state "few recent records . . . it has never been clear whether these have been residents or
immigrants or whether accidental or deliberate introduction has occurred”
Records
Clouded Yellow
Only one record of a Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) has been reported to the editors this year A single individual was observed in the
car park at Big Waters (Vice-County 67, grid ref. NZ2273; bv Mr E Nicholson
70

Lepidoptera at Allerwash Hall in 1993
1993 was a disappointing year in which many of the scarcer species failed to put in an appearance. However after running the moth trap
regularly for nineteen years I get particular satisfaction from new records and in 1993 there were four.
Acleris hyemana (confirmed TCD) on 29.i. According to Dunn & Parrack this is an insect of the high heather moors and appears in mild
weather throughout the winter.
Juniper Carpet (Thera juniperata) (confirmed JDP) on 24.x. There is only one juniper, a well established ornamental one, that I know of
in the vicinity.
White Spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria) (confirmed TCD) on 3.vi. Dunn & Parrack quote only two Northumberland records, both in
the Tyne valley.
Lead Coloured Drab (Orthosia poputeti) on 7.iv. In 1986 Dunn & Parrack knew of no records for Northumberland since Robson's day.
Taken for only the second time at Allerwash:- Grey Mountain Carpet (Entephria caesiata) (confirmed JDP) on 30.viii. Another insect of
the high moors.
A tip for those using Robinson or Heath traps:a piece of "Oasis", as used by flower arrangers, absorbs any rainwater that may get in.
Nothing is sadder than finding drowning moths in the trap after a wet night!
Uroceras gigas
An adult of this impressive insect emerged from a pine tree in Harry Eales's garden in Low Westwood (Vice County 66, grid ref.
NZ1056) on 1 .vii.1994
71
Peter Tennant
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
Several adults of the Small Skipper were seen by Harry Eales in a clearing in Park Wood near Ebchester (Vice-County 67, grid ref.
NZ0956) on 30.vii.1994. These are the first Northumberland records of the species. Small skippers were also seen by Harry about a
kilometre to the east, this time in Vice-County 66, at Low Westwood on the banks of the Derwent, 1 .viii. 1994.
Comma (Polygonia c'album)
An uncommon species in our area. Frank Greenshields saw and photographed an adult at Warden Law Farm, Houghton-le-Spring (Vice-
County 66, Grid ref. NZ3649) on 13 & 14.viii.1994.
Figure of Eighty (Tethea ocularis)
A species that seems to be becoming more common in County Durham. Michael Mann took an adult by M.V. light at Witton Gilbert
(grid ref. NZ2346) on 4.vii.1994 and another on 6.vii. 1994.

A notable day
On the afternoon of 3 July, Rob Strachan arid myself visited the upper reaches of the valleys of the rivers Derwent and Browney. During
the afternoon some unusual and interesting observations were made.
We saw my first Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui) of the year at Derwent Bridge, and further down stream in Derwent Gorge my first ever
Bird's-nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis). From there we moved to the upper reaches of the river Browney, a place much more familiar to
me. Here we encountered the Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) a bird I have not seen before in the valley. More unusually we also heard the
distinctive call of the Quail (Coturnix coturnix). In the roadside verge we found Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria), Adder's Tongue
(Ophioglossum vulgatum), Petty whin (Genista anglica) and Twayblade (Listera ovata). Lower down the valley and closer to Lanchester
good numbers of Butterfly orchid (Platanthera chlorantha) and Common Spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) were found. All in all, a
productive afternoon.
NNU Field meeting to Chopwell Woods
72
Terry Coult
Some 15 or 20 members and friends gathered near the Forestry Commission offices in the afternoon of 9 July 1994 to be led by Lance
Moore with the kind assistance of the Forest Ranger Miss Blair Wilkie. Although the afternoon was disappointingly short of sunshine,
resulting in a paucity of butterflies to please the entomologists, the afternoon remained mild and dry, making this a very pleasant outing.
The wood as a whole does not give one the impression of a usual Forestry Commission plantation. There is a much greater variety of
species resembling a more deciduous forest structure, which makes the viewing more attractive. This is partly because the wood existed
long before the advent of the Forestry Commission: it still possesses areas of hardwoods and shrubberies, particularly along the rides.
These date from the era when it was administered by the Crown Estates for purposes other than the production of soft-wood timber and
pulp. The roadways also consequently are still lined by a richness of herbs not seen in the new coniferous plantations.
First of all the Forestry Commission moth trap, installed, owned and maintained by Rothamsted Experimental Station in Harpenden,
Hertfordshire was examined while Tom Dunn pointed out the important parts of its construction etc., and above all its purpose. The trap
is one of a country- wide network which was established in 1960. It has proved to be a very valuable tool in insect research, the
fluctuations of species of agricultural importance being of special significance. The trap at Chopwell operates during the full 365 nights
every year, having done so since 1988. It is especially designed to trap only a small sample of the insects in the immediate vicinity and
over the years there is ample evidence that such small numbers have in no way depleted the local populations.
The catch of the previous night was tipped out on a small table and examined while Tom Dunn pointed out the various species. A Poplar
Hawk moth from a previous night's operation had been retained by Blair WIkie to show the group and provided special interest by its
size and colouring.

The group was then led away by Lance Moore to look at the wildlife and especially the trees, returning eventually to the starting point,
where T.C.D. had stayed behind to look more closely at the ground vegetation near the trap. This was to try to find the special foodplants
reputed to be those of the moth Rhigognostis incamatella Staud. which had not been found elsewhere in England until it arrived in one of
the Chopwell catches in 1992 and again later that year and once more in 1993. Although unsuccessful in his search, he did find evidence
of extensive patches of many Caryocolum species, a genus which is more abundant here than in any other trap in the North East (see note
that follows).
Meanwhile a huge list of species was compiled by Gordon Simpson during the walk with Lance Moore.
73
T.C. Dunn
Galls Passeriformes
Erithacus rubecula Robin
Eriophyes pyn on Rowan Fringilla coelebs Chaffinch
Eriophyes. macrorhynchus on Sycamore Hirundo rustica Swallow
Eriophyes avellanae on Hazel Parus ater Coal Tit
Eriophyes lateannulatus on Common Lime Parus caeruleus Blue Tit
Cynips divisa on Oak Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff
Chirosia parvicomis on Buckler Fern Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler
Coleoptera Pica pica Magpie
Athous haemorrhoidalis Pyrrhula pyrrhula Bullfinch
Judolia cerambyciformis Regulus regulus Goldcrest
Diptera Troglodytes
troglodytes
Wren
Cheilosia bergenstammi Piciformes
Eristalis horticola Dendrocopos major Great Spotted
Woodpecker
Eristalis intricarius Artiodactyla
Eristalis pertinax Capreolus capreolus Roe deer
Myathropa fforea Rodentia
Volucella pellucens Sciurus vulgaris Red squirrel
Hymenoptera Bryophyta
Bombus lapidarius Large red tailed bumble bee Mnium homum
Bombus lucorum Wlite-tailed bumble bee Pellia epiphylla
Bombus pascuorum Common carder bee Fungi
Dolichovespula sylvestris Tree wasp Phallus impudicus Stinkhom
Formica lugubris Northern Wood Ant Xerocomus
chrysenteron
Pink Cracking Bolete
Lepidoptera Pteridophytina
Abraxas sylvata Clouded Magpie Athynum ftlix-femina Lady Fern
Maniolajurtina Meadow Brown Blechnum spicant Hard Fern
Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral

Dryopteris dilatata Common Buckler-fern Galeopsis tetrahit agg. Common Hemp-nettle
[agg.]
Dryopteris filix-mas Common Male Fern Galium apanne Goosegrass
Equisetum arvense Common Horsetail Galium cruciata Crosswort
Equisetum sylvaticum Wood Horsetail Galium saxatile Heath Bedstraw
Oreopteris limbosperma Lemon-scented Fern Geranium robertianum Herb Robert
Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Geum urbanum Herb Bennet
Gymnospermae Yew Hedera helix Ivy
Taxus baccata Heracleum
sphondylium
Hogweed
Dicotyledones Hypericum pulchrum Elegant St. John's Wort
Acer campestre Field Maple Hypochaeris radicata Common Catsear
Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore Ilex aquifolium Holly
Achillea millefolium Yarrow Lapsana communis Nipplewort
Aegopodium podagraria Ground Elder Lathyrus montanus Bitter Vetchling
Aesculus hippocastanum Horse Chestnut Lathyrus pratensis Meadow Vetchling
Ajuga reptans Bugle Lonicera
periclymenum
Honeysuckle
Ainus glutinosa Alder Lotus comiculatus Common Birdsfoot
Trefoil
Angelica sylvestris Wild Angelica Lysimachia nemorum Yellow Pimpernel
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley Lysimachia vulgaris Yellow Loosestrife
Arcti'um minus agg. Burdock Melampyrum pratense Common Cow-wheat
Bellis perennis Daisy Mercurialis perennis Dog's Mercury
Betula pendula Silver Birch Oxalis acetosella Wood Sorrel
Callitriche stagnalis Common Water-starwort Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain
Calluna vulgaris Ling Plantago major Ratstail Plantain
Cardamine flexuosa Wavy Bitter-cress Potenti'lla erecta Tormentil
Centaurea nigra Black Knapweed Prunella vulgaris Self-heal
Centaurium erythraea Common Centaury Prunus avium Wild Cherry
Cerastium fontanum Common Mouse-ear Prunus padus Bird Cherry
Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle Prunus spinosa Blackthorn
Cirsium palustre Marsh Thistle Quercus petraea Sessile Oak
Cirsi'um vulgare Spear Thistle Quercus robur Common Oak
Conopodium majus Pignut Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup
Corylus avellana Hazel Rhododendron
ponticum
Rhododendron
Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Rosa canina Dog Rose
Cytisus scoparius Broom Rubus fruticosus agg. Bramble
Digitalis purpurea Foxglove Rubus idaeus Raspberry
Epilobium angustifolium Rosebay Willow-herb Rumex acetosa Common Sorrel
Epilobium hirsutum Great Willow-herb Rumex obtusifolius Broad-leaved Dock
Epilobium montanum Broad-leaved Willow-herb Sagina procumbens Procumbent Pearlwort
Euphrasia nemorosa Eyebright Salix caprea Goat Willow
Fagus sylvatica Beech Salix cinerea Common Sallow
Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet Sambucusnigra Elder
Fraxinus excelsior Ash Scrophularia nodosa Common Figwort
Senecio jacobaea Common Ragwort
Senecio sylvaticus Heath Groundsel
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Silene dioica Red Campion Dactylorhiza fuchsii Common Spotted
Orchid
Solidago virgaurea Golden-rod Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted Hair-grass
Sorbus aucuparia Rowan Deschampsia flexuosa Wavy Hair-grass
Stachys officinalis Betony Elymus repens Common Couch
Stachys sylvatica Hedge Woundwort Festuca gigantea Giant Fescue
Stellaria graminea Lesser Stitchwort Festuca rubra Red Fescue
Stellaria holostea Greater Stitchwort Glyceria fluitans Flote-grass
Succisa pratensis Devil's-bit Scabious Holcus lanatus Yorkshire Fog
Taraxacum officinale agg. Dandelion Holcus mollis Creeping Soft-grass
Teucrium scorodonia Wood Sage Juncus bufonius agg. Toad Rush [agg.]
Tilia cordata Small-leaved Lime Juncus conglomeratus Compact Rush
Tilia x vulgaris Common Lime Juncus effusus Soft Rush
Tonlisjaponica Hedge Parsley Lolium perenne Common Rye-grass
Tnfolium medium Zigzag Clover Luzula multiffora Heath Woodrush
Trifolium pratense Red Clover Luzula pilosa Hairy Woodrush
Trifolium repens White Clover Luzula sylvatica Great Woodrush
TussUago farfara Coltsfoot Melica uniflora Wood Melick
Ulex europaeus Gorse MUium effusum Wood Millet
Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Poa annua Annual Meadow-grass
Urtica dioica Stinging Nettle Poa trivialis Rough Meadow-grass
Vaccinium myrtUlus Bilberry
Valenana officinalis Common Valerian Planted Trees
Veronica beccabunga Brooklime Abies grandis Grand Fir
Veronica chamaedrys Germander Speedwell Castanea sativa Sweet Chestnut
Veronica officinalis Heath Speedwell Cedrus atlantica Atlas Cedar
Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Speedwell Chamaecyparis
lawsoniana
Lawson Cypress
Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose Larix decidua Larch
Vicia cracca Tufted Vetch Larix kaempferi Japanese Larch
Vicia sepium Bush Vetch Picea abies Norway Spruce
Viola riviniana Common Dog Violet Picea ornoricka Serbian Spruce
Picea sitchensis Sitka Spruce
Monocotyledones Pinus nigra ssp. laricio Corsican Pine
Agrostis canina ssp. canina Velvet Bent Pinus sylvestris Scots Pine
Agrostis capillaris Common Bent Pinus strobus Weymouth Pine
Allium ursinum Ramsons Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir
Anthoxanthum odoratum Sweet Vernal Grass Quercus rubra Red Oak
Arrhenatherum elatius False Oat-grass Sequoiadendron
giganteum
Redwood
Brachypodium sylvaticum Wood False-brome Tsuga heterophylla Western Hemlock
Bromus ramosus Hairy Brome
Carex flacca Glaucous Sedge
Carex pallescens Pale Sedge
Carex pendula Drooping Sedge
Carex remota Remote Sedge
Cynosurus cristatus Crested Dogstail
Dactylis glomerata Cocksfoot
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A note on the genus Caryocolum (Lep.: Gelechiidae) in Chopwell
The Caryocolum species form a little-known group of Microlepidoptera, part of a smaller family, the Gelechiidae, all of which are
characterised by the peculiar shape of the hind wing ("the pointing finger").
For the five years during which the Chopwell Rothamsted trap has been operating the numbers of Caryocolum taken in the collecting jar
has always been higher than any of the other traps serviced by me in the N.E. of England. Not all of the recorded captures for our
counties have appeared because a few are confined to coastal habitats. Of those that can be counted as possibles most have food plants
which are members of the family Caryophyllaceae and all but one require either a Cerastium (Chickweed) or a Stellaria (Stitchwort).
The following list illustrates the point:-
species foodplant
C. fratenella (Dougl.) Stellaria graminea, S. alsine
Cerastium fontanum or C. arvense
C. blandella (Dougl.) Stellaria holostea
C. tricolorella (Haw.) Stellaria holostea
C. kresmanniella (H-S) Stellaria holostea or S. alsine
C. huebneri (Haw.) Stellaria holostea
Of these only C. huebneri has yet to appear but I feel certain that it will eventually do so.
A sixth species, C. viscariella (Staint.) also turns up from time to time, but not so frequently, and it too uses Caryophyllaceae for
foodplants, but of a different group, namely the Campions and Catchflies.
It was with some satisfaction during the field meeting of 9 July 1994 that I found these foodplants growing quite close to the moth trap
and as far as the stitchworts and chickweeds were concerned they were in very large numbers. The campions were not so well
represented but nevertheless there was a fair sized patch of the Red Campion, Silene dioica within three feet of the trap. Apparently the
situations of the foodplants, so near to the trap, provided the near optimumconditions for trapping.
T.C. Dunn
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