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
In its typical form (Plate 103, Fig. 10), the fore wings are whitish
ochreous with the veins showing up white more or less clearly. A form with
reddish ochreous fore wings has been named var. _ochracea_, Tutt; and
another with silvery-white wings var. _argentea_ by the same author. These
seem to be identical with forms of this species named _flavida_ and
_albida_ by Aurivillius some eight years earlier.
The hairy caterpillar is blackish or dark grey brown freckled with black;
two stripes along the back and one on each side are yellow, sometimes
marked with orange; the warts are orange with pale, and a few black, hairs;
head black, marked with yellowish. {200}
It feeds from July to September on the leaves of reeds, at night; hiding by
day under leaves low down. The moth is out in June, but an autumn brood is
sometimes obtained. It only occurs in fenland, chiefly Norfolk and
Cambridgeshire.
THE MARBLED BEAUTY (_Bryophila perla_).
Typically the fore wings of this species are white, marbled with slaty
grey, and with the stigmata dark grey (Plate 103, Figs. 9[male],
12[female]). There is less colour variation than in the last species, but
in some localities greenish, ochreous, and ochreous brown forms have been
obtained. The caterpillar is pale slaty grey, with an irregular yellowish
stripe on the back, with black spots forming a central line; the raised
spots are black and shiny, as also is the head. Feeds on lichens growing on
old walls from August to May. The moth, which occurs throughout England,
Wales, Ireland, and Scotland up to the Clyde, is to be found, commonly as a
rule, on walls by day, and gas lamps at night, in July and August.
Sometimes I have found specimens on tree trunks.
MARBLED GREEN (_Bryophila muralis_ (_glandifera_)).
Two forms of this very variable little moth are represented on Plate 103,
Figs. 8[male] (typical), 11[female]. The ground colour of the fore wings
ranges from almost white through pale green to bluish green or to a deep
olive green, or through pale ochreous to orange brown. The markings, too,
vary in intensity, and are sometimes very obscure. Several forms have been
named, but only the Cambridge race, known as var. _impar_, Warren, can here
be referred to. In this form the colour is more often greyish or brownish
white, than green; the markings are cloudy and not clearly defined.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account