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
The caterpillar is green, with two series of white spotted black marks, the
line below these is yellow, and that lower down on the side is bright red;
the spots between the lines are white, encircled with black. From April to
May it feeds, often in the sunshine, as well as at night, on restharrow,
thistles, stonecrop, groundsel, dock, in fact on almost all low-growing
plants, as well as the foliage of some trees. The caterpillars of this and
the next species are exceedingly pretty creatures, and are sure to attract
attention whenever met with. Dr. Chapman notes that the caterpillar will
feed on stale leaves.
The moth emerges in the autumn, and seems to be on the wing until quite
late in the year, and is seen again as early as March, and thence on until
May. One male and two females captured at sugar, March 12 and 13, were
placed in a glass cylinder with various food plants, and a sprig of sallow
catkins, moistened occasionally with syrup, afforded nourishment for the
moths every evening. On April 13, two batches of eggs were noted on nettle,
but these were not fertile. On April 15 and 20 pairing took place; and by
May 3 over three thousand eggs had been deposited. On May 13 the two
females, being still alive, were set at liberty (Goodwin).
Although it certainly appears to be less frequently seen in the south than
northwards, the species is known to occur pretty well all over England and
Wales. In Scotland, where it is generally commoner than in England, except
perhaps in the {35} northern counties of the latter, its range extends to
the Orkneys.
Abroad, it is found throughout Europe (except the most northern parts);
Asia to Japan; and the Canaries.
THE RED SWORD-GRASS (_Calocampa vetusta_).
In this species the ground colour of the fore wings varies from whity brown
to ochreous brown with a slight reddish tinge. A greyish shade spreads from
the base along the median vein to below the reniform stigma in the paler
and more typical specimens; the inner area is dark brown, but widely broken
below the reniform by the grey suffusion. The specimens figured on Plate 14
(Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]) are from Sligo, Ireland, and are referable to
var. _brunnea_, Tutt. The inner area in this form is red-brown, or
inclining to blackish brown.
The caterpillar is green, with three yellow lines along the back, and a
reddish orange stripe along the area of the spiracles; a series of
black-circled white dots on each side of the central line; in the form
figured (from a skin) on Plate 8, Fig. 3, the lines on the back are white,
and the spaces between them black, dotted with white; the stripe along the
reddish spiracles also white, edged above with black; head, shining light
reddish brown. It feeds, from May to July, on various low herbage, such as
dock, persicaria, knotgrass, etc., also sedges and yellow flag.
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