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
1, 4 _male_; 3 _female (English)_; 2, 5, 6, 7 _male (Scotch)_.
=Scotch Argus.=
8, 11 _male (Scotch)_; 9 _do. (English)_; 10, 12 _female (Scotch)_.]
The chrysalis has the body ochreous, with a darker stripe down the back,
and other lines; the eye covers are black, and the thorax, antennæ
cases, and wing covers are dingy, dark purplish-brown.
The above descriptions of caterpillar and chrysalis are adapted from
Buckler, whose figures of these stages are also reproduced on the plate.
_Aira præcox_, _A. cæspitosa_, and _Poa_ are the grasses that seem to be
the food of the caterpillar.
Mr. Haggart, of Galashiels, who had exceptional opportunities for
observing the habits of this butterfly in its natural home, gives a most
interesting account of it in the _Entomologist_ for November, 1895. He
writes--
"The haunt of this species is, almost without exception, the margin of a
plantation or wood where the different species of _Poa_ grow abundantly,
and always situated in such a position as to receive the first rays of
the rising sun. This last-mentioned fact is so plainly evident, that the
least observant cannot fail to notice it. The insect is truly sun
loving, and no collector need go in search of it with any thought of
success if the day be dull.
"It is most interesting to observe the extreme sensibility of the insect
to shine and shade. A very good day to illustrate this is one when heavy
clouds at intervals obscure the sun; the moment it disappears so also
does the butterfly, and no sooner does it shine forth again than, as if
by magic, scores of the insect are on the wing.
"The under side of the insect bears a marked resemblance to that of a
dead leaf, and I have often watched the males being deceived by withered
leaves lying among the moss. They would flutter down quite close to the
leaf, immediately rise with a disappointed air and fly a little further,
only to be deceived again and again.
"The ova are deposited amongst the _Poa_ grass, and hatch in September.
Towards the end of October the larvæ go down and hibernate throughout
the winter and spring, coming up to feed again in May; they are
generally full-fed about the end of June; and the insect appears in July
or August. The larvæ are nocturnal feeders, coming up to feed on the
grass just about dusk. The method of procuring the larvæ is by no means
enviable, even to the most ardent entomologist, as in the uncertain
light it necessitates crawling on one's hands and knees amongst the
grass, and there is always the risk of grasping those little brown slugs
in mistake, which resemble the larvæ very much in shape and colour. No
artificial light can be used, as the larvæ immediately drop down amongst
the grass if this is done. The only alternative, therefore, is to use
one's eyes to the best advantage until the darkness makes that
impossible.
"They are not difficult to rear in confinement if the larvæ are kept
properly supplied with food."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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