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 species (Plate 147, Figs. 7[male], 8[female]) will be recognized by
the fine blackish lines on the fore wings, the white dot at lower end of
the cell, and the row of black dots representing the second cross line. It
is a very local species, chiefly found among reeds in Norfolk and
Cambridgeshire, and may also occur in marshy places along the banks of the
Thames from Bucks to Kent. The caterpillar is greyish ochreous above and
paler beneath; three white lines on the back, the central one edged with
greenish on each side, and the others edged with brownish; the line along
the black-edged spiracles is greyish; head pale {308} brown striped with
darker. It feeds from August to October on the leaves of the reed
(_Phragmites_), hiding by day in the stems. It also hibernates in the reeds
when full grown, but does not change to the chrysalis state until the
spring. The moth flies in June and July.
THE SHORE WAINSCOT (_Leucania littoralis_).
The white line running through the pale ochreous brown fore wings is the
chief character of this species. (Plate 150, Figs. 4, 5.) The caterpillar
(Plate 152, Fig. 2) is whity-brown with three lines on the back, the
central one is whitish, shaded with dusky on each side, the others brown
edged with whitish; the spiracles are whitish, outlined in blackish; head,
and plate on first ring of the body, bone colour, shining. It feeds from
August to May on marram grass (_Psamma arenaria_), but will eat meadow
grass (_Poa_) and other kinds in confinement. The moth is out in June and
July, sometimes earlier or later. It is a coast species, occurring only on
sandhills where the marram grass flourishes, and in such localities is
found all round England and Wales; on the east coast of Scotland to
Forfarshire, and on the west to Clydesdale and Arran; and in Ireland on the
north, south, and east coasts.
FENN'S WAINSCOT (_Leucania brevilinea_).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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