The Moths of the British Isles, Second Series: Comprising the Families Noctuidæ to HepialidæSouth, Richard
History
The Moths of the British Isles, Second Series: Comprising the Families Noctuidæ to Hepialidæ
South, Richard
Lepidoptera -- Great Britain; Moths -- Great Britain
MOTTLED BEAUTY (_Boarmia repandata_).
Two examples of the more ordinary mottled form of this species are shown on
Plate 132, Figs. 3 [male], and 4 [female]. Fig. 6 represents ab.
_destrigaria_, Haworth (_muraria_, Curtis); and Fig. 5 depicts a specimen
near var. _sodorensium_, Weir, from the Isle of Lewis. Dark-brown forms,
inclining to blackish, are not uncommon in the London district, but in
South Yorkshire coal-black specimens with whitish submarginal lines occur;
a sooty black example from the Sheffield district is figured on Plate 134,
Fig. 4, and, it may be added, these melanic forms are referable to ab.
_nigricata_, Fuchs.
Two forms of ab. _conversaria_, Hubner, will be found on Plate 134, where
Fig. 1 depicts a specimen from the New Forest, and Fig. 8 represents an
extreme example from North Devon. The _conversaria_ form occurs chiefly in
the south and west of England, and is perhaps most plentiful along the
North Devon coast; also in South Wales; Durham (rarely, on the coast).
Broad dark banded specimens are recorded from Arran and Argyll.
The caterpillar (figured on Plate 131, Fig. 2, after Sich) is brownish
inclining to ochreous; a dark brownish line along the middle of the back,
and a series of brownish diamond-shaped marks most distinct on the back of
the middle rings; a line of blackish marks along the sides shows up in the
paler examples. Sometimes the general colour is dark reddish brown,
freckled with dark brown; but in all cases the underside is paler than the
upper, and is striped and lined with dark and pale brown. {308} It feeds on
hawthorn, birch, elm, hazel, bilberry, heather, etc., from July to May.
The moth is out in June and July, and specimens of a second generation have
been reared in September. Generally common throughout the British Isles.
GREAT OAK BEAUTY (_Boarmia roboraria_).
[Illustration: FIG. 18.
CATERPILLAR OF GREAT OAK BEAUTY.
(Photo by "A. Forester".)]
The fine Boarmid moth shown on Plate 135, Fig. 2, has all the typical
markings well defined. Occasionally the black cross lines are more
distinct, but sometimes they are more or less absent, or obscured. An
almost black specimen is mentioned by Barrett as taken in the Reading
district, Berkshire; and the same author states that a black example was
captured in the Midlands about the year 1887, but no other specimen was
observed until 1893, when a female was obtained, and from eggs deposited
smoky black moths were reared.
The caterpillar is very like an oak twig in shape, especially when in
repose. (See Fig. 18.) In colour it is reddish brown, inclining to ochreous
brown; brownish grey on the humps on rings 5 and 11, and on the skin folds.
It feeds on oak during the autumn, and, after hibernation, in the spring.
The moth is out in June and July, and may be found on oak trees rather high
up the trunks. When on the wing at night it will visit the sugar patch.
[Illustration]
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