Subject: Migrants in Shetland (UK)

From: [email-masked] (Michael Pennington)
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 1996 22:21:56 +0100

Cynthia cardui (Painted Lady) reached Shetland in numbers on 8th 
June. Regular sightings since then. Certainly hundreds involved and 
apparently more in the north of the islands. Apparently there are 
fewer in Orkney (the island group to the south). This suggests the 
insects may have come from Scandinavia rather than through Britain ???

Also associated with this influx have been a few Vanessa atalanta 
(Red Admirals) and Pieris barssicae (Large Whites), hundreds of 
Autographa gamma (Silver Y), thousands of Plutella xylostella 
(Diamondback Moths) plus a few Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer), 
Agrotis ipsilon (Dark Sword Grass) and Peridroma saucia (Pearly 
Underwing). Also two Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) which is a rare 
migrant this far north.

-- 
Mike Pennington
Baltasound, Unst, Shetland
[email-masked]
Shetland Entomological Group webpage http://www.zetnet.co.uk/sigs/insects