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
This is a local species in England and occurs on the south coast; in Kent,
on the sand hills at Deal; in Sussex, on the downs at Brighton and Lewes;
also on downs on the Isle of Wight. Farther west it is found at Portland in
Dorset, and Torquay in Devon; thence along the Devon and Cornish coasts. In
Ireland it is obtained, according to Kane, on the coast of Wicklow and
Waterford, and is not scarce on the sand hills of Wexford Harbour.
[Illustration]
Pl. 136.
DARK ARCHES MOTH.
[Illustration]
Pl. 137.
1, 2. BIRD'S WING MOTH.
3, 4. FEATHERED BRINDLE.
5, 6. FEATHERED RANUNCULUS.
7. PURPLE CLOUD.
8. BLACK RUSTIC.
9, 10. DEEP-BROWN DART.
{285}
THE FEATHERED RANUNCULUS (_Epunda lichenea_).
This is a maritime species and is chiefly found in the Isle of Wight, the
Isle of Portland, and along the coasts of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset,
Gloucester, and on the opposite Welsh coast. It is locally common in
Cheshire and Lancashire, and occurs on the coast of North Wales, in Flint
and Carnarvon. In Yorkshire it is not uncommon at Scarborough. Has been
recorded from the Lincolnshire coast and from Eastbourne. There are two
records from Scotland--Renfrew and Ayr. In Ireland it is common at Howth,
and abundant at Rossbeigh, Co. Kerry. This species, and the last two, have
a rather limited range abroad. On Plate 137 are portraits of two local
forms, Fig. 5 is from Portland, and Fig. 6 from Plymouth. It will be noted
that the former is greyish in tone whilst the latter is greenish and rather
larger. Similar local variation occurs throughout the range of the species.
The caterpillar (Plate 133, Fig. 2) is olive green inclining to brownish
above; along the back are darker markings forming a central stripe and a
paler interrupted stripe on each side; a pale stripe along the spiracles.
It feeds from autumn to May on various low plants. The moth flies from late
August to early October. The first British specimen is said to have been
taken in the New Forest in 1847; but in 1850 about a hundred were captured
at New Brighton in Cheshire.
THE BRINDLED OCHRE (_Dasypolia templi_).
The dull ochreous-brown moth shown on Plate 138, Fig. 1, has hardly any
well-defined markings, but the cross lines are generally darker, and the
reniform and orbicular paler. The caterpillar, which feeds in the stems of
cow-parsnip (_Heracleum sphondylium_) from April to August, is pinkish
ochreous with a rather darker stripe on the back; raised spots brown; head
{286} reddish brown. The moth flies in the autumn, and, after hibernation,
in the spring. It frequents rocky places on the coast and on hills. Its
range in England is pretty much as in the last species, but it does not
seem to occur on the south-east coast. In Scotland it is widely spread over
the country to the Orkneys, and has been found in the most northern isle of
the Shetlands, but it is generally uncommon. It has been taken near Dublin
in Ireland, and less frequently in Antrim and Donegal.
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