Firvaldar í Føroyum: Lepidoptera from the Faroes

Abstract

Accarding to the Zoology of the Faroes12 32 species of Lepidoptera had been found m tihe Faroes up to 1926 (List I ) .
In 1953—54 the author of the present work has been collecting Lepidoptera in the Faroes, mostly in the neigihbouríhood of Eiði. Eysturoy. At the same time collections belonging to other Faroese were isought ont. Some of the inew species discovered in this way have been identified in rjhe Faroes, others were sent to Copenhagen to be identified by Wilhelm van DeUrs and Mr Niels L. Wolff, both renowned Danish lepidopterologists. Resuk: The number of Specieis of Lepidoptera has been incneased with 14, from 32 to 46 (List I I ) . Special studies of the Hepialus humuli seem to allow the following conglusion: In tlhe Faroes, as in Shetland, a very changeable variety of the male Hepialus humuli is to be found. The variety is very like the forma thuleus Crotch (hethlandica Staudinger) and ought to be called: forma jaeroensis.

The author does not agree with Annandale íhat the colour of the male is simply approaching the colour of the female, but points out that the colour of the former is passing the constant colour of tihe female, growing darker than and different frorn the colour of the latter. Most likely the ohange of colour of the male is now a defence against dangers in nature, in this case the birds, and on that account of vital importance to the animal.