Subject: Proserpinus proserpina in Western Europe.

From: Bart Vanholder <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 21:35:23 +0200

Hi ,

In Belgium we had this year again an observation of Proserpinus proserpina
Pallas (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). This was seen on 7th May in Lanaye (prov.
Liège, near the border with The Netherlands). It was absent last year. This
species is rather new for our country and seems to be in full expansion
during the last decade. The first sighting in Belgium was in 1954. Since it
has been very scarcely found in Belgium untill 1983. From 1983 on we had
yearly observations and even caterpillars (on Epilobium spec.) and
chrysalids have been found.

P. proserpina is found mostly along the French border, but it expanded
through Belgium in 1992 and was recently found near the border with the
Netherlands (where it is not found until present). Even in the U.K. it was
seen once and thus must have been migrating across the Sea. I know of only
one, but recent, observation from the U.K.

Has anyone more observations in European countries ?

Bart Vanholder
Belgian Migrating Lepidoptera Survey
Droeskouter 33
B-9450 Haaltert
Belgium
[email-masked]

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From: Patrick Roper <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 1995 21:12:04 +0100

> Even in the U.K. it was seen once and thus must have been
>migrating across the Sea. I know of only one, but recent,
> observation from the U.K.

Bart,

Have you any more details on this U.K sighting?  (I'll ask people here to
 look out for the moth in the next edition of Butterfly Conservation News)

Yours,

Patrick Roper
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South View, Sedlescombe, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0PE, UK
Telephone:  (01424) 870208; Fax: (01424) 870208
Email: [email-masked]
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