The Butterflies of the British IslesSouth, Richard
Science
The Butterflies of the British Isles
South, Richard
Butterflies -- Great Britain; Butterflies -- Great Britain -- Identification; Lepidoptera -- Great Britain
The caterpillar when full grown is, according to Hellins, "a beautiful
green, the front segments minutely dotted with black; dorsal line darker
green, edged with yellowish-green; spiracular line distinct, of a
fine clear yellow, edged above with darker green; spiracles
indistinguishable." The chrysalis in shape is something like that of the
last species, but the back is not curved, and the ends are less tapered.
The colour is a "lovely delicate green; the abdomen rather yellowish;
just in the spiracular region there runs all round the body a stout pink
rib, enclosing the greenish spiracles; from this a strong pink line
branches off, bordering the outer edge of the wing-case, and the
nervures of the wings themselves are delicately outlined in pink"
(Hellins). Sometimes the chrysalids are green without marking.
Mr. A.M. Montgomery, who on one occasion had four batches of eggs, and
the subsequent caterpillars, under observation, states that the
caterpillars hatched about June 2 from eggs laid about May 22. Pupation
took place about July 3, and, except from one batch that remained for
the winter in the chrysalids, the butterflies emerged between July 16
and 22. The food-plant in this case was bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus
corniculatus_). The yellow pea (_Lathyrus pratensis_) is a favourite
pabulum, but the caterpillar will also eat a vetch (_Vicia cracca_), and
probably many other plants belonging to the order Leguminosæ.
Caterpillars from the July butterflies would feed in August and
September.
This fragile-looking little species is somewhat local, but is not
altogether uncommon in some of its particular haunts. As its English
name implies, the butterfly is fond of the woods, or, perhaps, is rather
more partial to their shady rides and margins. On dull or wet days, it
settles on the under side of a leaf. The first brood is on the wing in
May, and the second--when this occurs, which is not every year--in July
and August. In Ireland, where it is abundant in the south and west,
there seems to be only one flight, and this is in June. It may be well
to remember that this butterfly does not like the pill-box, and will not
settle down quietly therein.
Possibly the Wood White had a much more general distribution in England
at one time than it now seems to have. It was not uncommon in parts of
Sussex some years ago, but there appears to be no record of its
occurrence there now. It is certainly much scarcer in the New Forest
than it used to be. However, it is still to be found, no doubt, in many
parts of England and Wales, but chiefly perhaps in the counties of
Berkshire, Devonshire, Cornwall, Worcestershire, Herefordshire,
Lancashire, and Cumberland. Also in the south and west of Ireland. It
occurs throughout Europe, Western and Central Asia, and its range
extends eastwards through Siberia, Amurland, China, and Corea to Japan.
The Pale Clouded Yellow (_Colias hyale_).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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