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 wings are pale ochreous brown, finely flecked with purplish grey, and
more or less tinged with reddish; the cross lines are indicated by blackish
dots, the central shade is greyish inclining to reddish, and the rings
enclosing white dots are blackish or dark brown, but sometimes indistinct
on the fore wings; occasionally there are some purplish grey clouds on the
outer marginal area, and this is more frequent in examples of a second
generation. Sometimes the wings are entirely suffused with dull reddish
brown, and all the markings, except the white dot on the hind wings, are
obscured. (Plate 53, Figs. 7 and 8.)
The caterpillar is pale pinkish ochreous, with inconspicuous wavy white
lines, and brownish dots, on the back; dark oblique marks on the sides; the
head is pencilled with darker brown. It feeds on oak and birch in June and
July, and individuals of a second brood sometimes occur in September or
October.
The moth is out in May and June, and rests in the daytime {136} among the
foliage of trees and bushes in or around woods. Like others of the genus,
it is attracted by light, and is said to visit the sugar patch. Specimens
of a second generation sometimes appear in August and September, but, I
believe, more frequently in the breeding cage than in the open. Although it
has been recorded from several of the northern counties from Staffordshire
to Cumberland, this is more especially an inhabitant of the south and west
of England, and of Wales. In Scotland, it is known to occur singly and
rarely in Clydesdale and Arran, and has been found in Perthshire.
NOTE.--This species, and the other five here included in _Ephyra_, have
been referred to _Zonosoma_, Lederer, and more recently to _Cyclophora_,
Stephens.
MAIDEN'S BLUSH (_Ephyra punctaria_).
In a general way, this moth (Plate 53, Figs. 10-12) is not unlike the last
mentioned. Apart, however, from the absence of ringed dots on all the
wings, the central line is more prominent. Certain vagaries occur in
connection with this line, which is generally reddish, or purplish brown.
Occasionally, it may be visible on the fore wings, but absent on the hind
wings; or it may change its course about mid-way, and turn inwards to the
base of the fore wing. I have a specimen from Surrey in which this line is
double the normal width, and dark purplish in colour. Examples of the
second generation have brownish clouds on the outer margin (Fig. 12).
The caterpillar is pale reddish-ochreous or bright green; a black line
along the middle of the back, and a brownish one along the sides; a black
horse-shoe mark, edged below with yellow, on the back of rings four to
nine.
It feeds, in June and July, on oak, but may be reared on birch; also found
in September as a second brood. {137}
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