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
The greyish-centred white marks are the chief features on the brownish fore
wings of this moth (Plate 127, Figs. 1, 2). The first one, or both when
quite apart, is very like the figure 8; sometimes these marks are united,
and form an irregular blotch. Rarely the area between the black lines is
dark and the marks {266} obscured or absent. The caterpillar (Plate 133,
Fig. 1) is bluish grey, with a number of bristle-bearing black spots and
minute black dots; a stripe along the back is yellow and interrupted; a
yellow stripe low down along the sides. It feeds, from April to June, on
hawthorn, sloe, and wild crab; also on the leaves of apple, plum, and other
fruit trees. Sometimes these caterpillars are to be seen on the hedges in
numbers, and usually seem to prefer the outer extremities of the longer
shoots. The pale purplish brown chrysalis is enclosed in a strong somewhat
oval cocoon, which is covered with fragments of litter, and often attached
to some object, such as a bit of stick, leaves, etc., on the ground. The
moth is out in October and November, but is rarely seen, except
occasionally at gas lamps, etc. Generally common in the south and east of
England, and widely distributed throughout the rest of the country to
Cumberland. It has occurred in a few Clydesdale localities, and has been
recorded by Renton as sometimes common in Roxburghshire. Widely distributed
in Ireland, but not often plentiful.
THE GREEN BRINDLED DOT (_Valeria oleagina_).
Nearly eighty years ago Stephens summed up all that was known of this
species in Britain. As there is nothing to add in the way of later records,
his remarks may be quoted. "Very rare; specimens have been found in
Richmond Park, and one was taken in the pupa state by Mr. Plastead some
twenty or thirty years ago in Battersea Fields; others have occurred near
Bristol, and Mr. Donovan, I believe, captured one in South Wales; it has
also been taken in Scotland. My specimens were from the former locality,
and I have been fortunate enough to have had nearly a dozen examples at
various periods." Most of the later authors mention only the Welsh
specimen, taken at Fishguard in Pembrokeshire, July, 1800. A continental
specimen is shown on Plate 127, Fig. 5. {267}
THE BEAUTIFUL GOTHIC (_Heliophobus hispidus_).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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