PROCEEDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS :
OF
THE SOUTH LONDON
Entomological and Natural History Society
Volume V : 1950-51.
PUBLISHED AT THE SOCIETY’S ROOMS,
BURLINGTON HOUSE, PICCADILLY, – LONDON, W.1.
[Pages 69-70]
EFFINGHAM — 18th June 1950.
Leader, Mr. T. R. Eagles. [He was also co-Editor of the Proceedings]
Dull weather in the morning was probably responsible for the failure of an attempt to assemble the clearwing moth, Sesia apiformis Clerck. A member brought two females and these attracted nothing although placed near the bole of a large black poplar clearly marked with exit holes. But the morning brought an interesting new record for an Effingham Field Meeting. Larvae and a pupa of the Waved Black Moth, Parascotia fidiginaria L., were found on Polyporus adustus Ft. growing on a tree stump.
[The team had evidently convened at Effingham Junction station and had then proceeded to Ockham Common, possibly on foot; the article describes what they found there, then continues as follows, after their return to Effingham.]
On the way back to the station the chiff-chaff was heard singing and nightingales were “croaking”. The cuckoo was still calling.
Nine sat down to tea in the rooms [see picture below] adjoining Effingham Junction Station.
Afterwards some of the party went to Effingham Common. Searching the sallows was unproductive but Cerura hermelina Goeze [Poplar Kitten moth] (in the egg stage) was found on the aspens. Small bushes of alder buckthorn had young larvae of Gonepteryx rhamni L. [Brimstone butterfly]. That the Common had, not many years ago, been much wetter than it is now was clear from Oenanthe crocata L. [Hemlock Water Dropwort], Pedicularis sylvatica L. [Small Lousewort] and other moisture loving plants lingering on in places now unsuitable. The slender vetch (Vicia tetrasperma (L.) Schreb.) and the yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor agg.) were noted and it was observed that many of the birches were Betula pubescens Ehrh., the species with hairy twigs and leaves.