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 caterpillar (Plate 159, Fig. 1) is pale brown minutely freckled with
darker; a whitish line along the centre of the back finely edged with
black; a broad velvety black stripe along the sides, edged with whitish;
head reddish brown, freckled with darker. It feeds from April to June on
elm, oak, sallow, plum, etc. The moth is out in March and April, but a
specimen has been taken at "ivy bloom" in the autumn. Plum blossoms, as
well as the sallow catkins, are an attraction to this moth, and it will
also visit the sugar patch. The species probably occurs in most woodland
districts throughout the greater part of England and Wales. It seems to be
found in South Scotland, but is local and infrequent; in Ireland it is
widely spread in the north, but uncommon in the south.
[Illustration]
Pl. 158.
1, 2. COMMON QUAKER MOTH.
3-7. POWDERED QUAKER.
8. BLOSSOM UNDERWING.
9, 10. SMALL QUAKER.
11, 12. TWIN-SPOTTED QUAKER.
[Illustration]
Pl. 159.
1. TWIN-SPOTTED QUAKER: _caterpillar_.
2. SMALL QUAKER: _caterpillar_.
3, 3a. RED CHESTNUT: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
{331} THE NORTHERN DRAB (_Tæniocampa opima_).
The dark form (var. _brunnea_, Tutt) (Plate 157, Fig. 10 [male]) has the
outlines of the orbicular and reniform stigmata, and the submarginal line
pale and distinct; sometimes the general colour is much blacker than in the
specimen shown. In the more typical greyish form (Fig. 9 [female]) the
central area is blackish or dark reddish brown. The caterpillar is olive
green above, inclining to yellowish beneath; three pale lines on the back,
and a yellow stripe along the black-edged white spiracles; head olive
green. It feeds from April to June on sallow, willow, birch, rose, etc. The
moth flies in March and April.
As suggested by the English name, this moth was supposed to be confined to
the northern counties from Cheshire to Cumberland and Northumberland, but
it occurs more locally in Herefordshire, Worcestershire (Wyre Forest),
Somerset, Gloucester, and Wales; also in Essex, Surrey, and Sussex. Renton
records it from Roxburghshire in Scotland, and Kane states that it is local
in Ireland.
THE POWDERED QUAKER (_Tæniocampa gracilis_).
In the ordinary English form of this species (Plate 158, Figs. 3 [male], 4
[female]) the fore wings are pale whity brown, more or {332} less tinged
with grey; the submarginal line, and the stigmata, are usually distinct,
but the other cross lines are only indicated by blackish dots on the veins.
In Ireland the specimens are creamy white and very often tinged with pink
(Fig. 5), but in the New Forest, Hants (Fig. 7), and in the marshes of
North Kent (Fig. 6), deep purplish grey, purplish brown, and reddish (var.
_rufescens_, Cockerel) forms occur.
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