The Moths of the British Isles, First Series: Comprising the Families Sphingidæ to NoctuidæSouth, Richard
History
The Moths of the British Isles, First Series: Comprising the Families Sphingidæ to Noctuidæ
South, Richard
Lepidoptera -- Great Britain; Moths -- Great Britain
Twelve eggs laid by a female in Aberdeenshire were received on June 29,
1906. They were shining yellowish in colour, and were on a leaf of
plantain. The caterpillars resulting from these eggs were reared on a mixed
diet of forget-me-not (_Myosotis_), plantain, and groundsel, but evinced a
decided preference for the former. Some died young in moulting, but at the
beginning of August five were full grown, and four duly pupated in a slight
but roomy cocoon of silk, mixed with the caterpillar's hairs, {158} in
which the blackish brown chrysalis with the cast-off skin attached to the
tail was plainly visible. Four moths, all female, emerged at the end of
August, when the other caterpillar was still feeding, and seemingly about
mature. That caterpillar did not, however, pupate, or survive the winter.
As a rule the caterpillars hibernate when about half grown, and feed up in
April and May of the following year. The somewhat unusual rate at which
those just mentioned completed their growth was no doubt due to the heat of
the summer of 1906.
The moth is to be found on heaths, moors, the slopes of chalk, and
limestone hills; also in woods that are not too thickly timbered and have a
good undergrowth of heather, etc. The males may sometimes be seen flying in
the sunshine, and they will then be noted to wing their way to some
particular spot where most likely a freshly emerged female will be the
attraction. The male is often started up from the heather or other herbage
as one walks along; or it may even rise from the bare ground upon which it
sometimes has a fancy to sit. The female seems to be more sluggish during
the daytime.
The species is widely distributed over the British Isles, and its range
extends through Central and Northern Europe, and Northern Asia to Japan.
THE CLOUDED BUFF (_Diacrisia sanio_).
Fore wings of the male yellow, with a reddish and greyish central mark;
hind wings whitish, with blackish central spot and outer band; the inner
margin, fringes, and front edge light crimson. The female has orange fore
wings with reddish margins, veins, and central mark; hind wings orange,
with black basal area, central spot, and outer band (Plate 82).
The female of this species is so different in appearance from the male that
it was described by Linnæus as distinct, under the name _russula_. In the
tenth edition of "Systema Naturæ" it is {159} No. 510, whereas _sanio_, the
male, is No. 506. We must, therefore, in accordance with the law of
priority, adopt the earliest name for the species, however much we regret
having to discard the old familiar name of _russula_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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