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
This species (Plate 136, Figs. 3, 4) has long been known as _glabraria_,
Hubner, but as authorities are agreed that _jubata_, Thunberg, is an
earlier name, it must be adopted. The general colour is whitish, powdered
with dark grey and black; there are four black spots on the front margin
and from these blackish markings cross the wings, but only the first line
is generally distinct, although a second line, beyond the large black
discal spot, is sometimes clearly defined and entire; occasionally a
central shade and a submarginal line are both in evidence. The hind wings
have a black central spot and a blackish line beyond, but the latter is
often absent. Exceptional aberration takes the form of leaden black
blotches, clouds, and streaks on the fore wings, and dusky clouding on the
hind wings, chiefly on the basal area. {312}
The caterpillar is of a faint bluish green, inclining to greenish white on
the back; a row of black spots along the back, and a broken black narrow
stripe along each side. It feeds on tree lichens (_Usnea barbata_), etc.,
from September to June or July. Three figures of this caterpillar are given
on Plate 133, Fig. 3.
The moth is out in July and August, and may be found at rest on tree trunks
now and then, but is more frequently obtained by jarring the lichen-clad
branches of oak. Although it is known to occur very locally and somewhat
rarely in the counties of Wilts., Dorset, and Devon, the New Forest in
Hampshire is the English district where one is most likely to meet with
this species. It has been recorded from Cornwall (Falmouth district, 1904),
Hereford, Pembrokeshire, Carnarvonshire (Beddgelert), and Cumberland.
Charlton Forest, Sussex, has also been mentioned. In Scotland, Renton
states that it is generally common in Roxburghshire; it occurs in several
of the woods in Clydesdale, and has been noted from Argyllshire.
THE ENGRAILED (_Tephrosia bistortata_).
In the following brief remarks on _T. bistortata_, Goeze (= _biundularia_,
Borkhausen), I have included reference to _crepuscularia_, Hubner (=
_biundularia_, Esper). The former (which is also named _abietaria_,
Haworth, and _laricaria_, Doubleday) appears on the wing in March and
April, and there is a second flight in July and August. Moths of the second
generation are few in number and small in size, and are referable to abs.
_consonaria_ and _strigularia_, Stephens. A third generation of still
smaller moths has been reared. _Crepuscularia_ is out in May and June,
rarely in April; its caterpillar feeds in June and July or later; according
to Barrett, a second generation of the moth has occurred in August. One or
two moths have been captured in September or October, but whether these
were referable to _bistortata_ or _crepuscularia_ is not quite clear.
[Illustration: FIG. 19.
SMALL ENGRAILED, AT REST.
(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]
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