The Moths of the British Isles Volume Ii Part 9

1. THE HERALD.

2. THE DARK SPECTACLE.

3. THE SPECTACLE.

4. GOLDEN PLUSIA.

5, 6. BURNISHED BRa.s.s.

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2 Pl. 23.

1. CHAMOMILE SHARK: _caterpillar_.

2. THE FOUR-SPOTTED: _eggs_.

3. STRAW DOT: _caterpillar_.

{59}

The moth is out from late May to early July, sometimes later.

This is also a marsh-loving species, and is generally plentiful in the fens of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridges.h.i.+re; in the Southern counties it is either very local or, owing to its small size, has escaped detection, but has been noted as occurring in Surrey (Wisley), Kent (Deal), Hants (New Forest), Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and Somersets.h.i.+re; also in Yorks.h.i.+re (Askham bog), and in c.u.mberland. The Welsh counties in which it has been found are Pembroke, Glamorgan and Carnarvon (Abersoch). It is locally common in Clydesdale, and has also been reported from Kirkcudbrights.h.i.+re, and Perths.h.i.+re. In Ireland it abounds in the boggy parts of Kerry, and is more or less frequent in several other parts of Ireland. Near Castle Bellingham, co. Louth, where it is common, a second brood was observed on Aug. 1st, 1894.

Its range abroad extends to Amurland and j.a.pan.

THE ROSY MARBLED (_Erastria venustula_).

Another local species, but a frequenter of drier localities than the last two. This delicate rosy-flushed whitish moth first became known as a native of Britain by the capture of a few specimens in Ess.e.x. Stephens, writing in 1830, remarks, "I have hitherto seen four examples only--a pair in my own cabinet; one of the latter taken, I believe, in Epping forest by the late Mr. Honey, the other by the late Mr. Bentley." No other British specimens seem to have been recorded until 1845, when the late Mr. H. Doubleday, in July, noted several of the moths disporting themselves over, or settling upon, bracken in Epping Forest. For many years Loughton and some other parts of the forest remained the only known English haunts of the species, but in 1874 it was found commonly in {60} St. Leonard's Forest, Suss.e.x; later still, it was discovered in the Brentwood district, Ess.e.x. It still occurs in all these localities, but appears to be now less frequently noticed in the original one than formerly (Plate 21, Fig. 9).

The caterpillar feeds in July and August on the flowers of cinquefoil (_Potentilla_), and is said to eat bramble blossoms also. h.e.l.lins describes it as rich brown, with a row of eight dusky-red diamonds down the back, enclosing the dorsal line of brighter red. The moth is out from the end of May and in June; it may be put up from herbage during the day, but its proper time of flight is in the early evening, and then only when the weather is favourable. If cold or damp the insects will not get on the wing. (Plate 25, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.)

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE STRAW DOT (_Rivula sericealis_).

This pale ochreous species, an example of which is represented on Plate 21, Fig. 8, varies in the amount of darker shading or suffusion on the outer marginal area of the fore wing; sometimes this is grey-brown or pale reddish brown, but often there is no shading whatever, and in such specimens the ground colour is usually very pale. The dark brown reniform mark is always present, but the cross lines are more often absent than present.

The caterpillar is green, with a darker green line along the middle of the back, and a white stripe on each side of it, the inner edge of each of the latter irregular; head, greenish grey, and the bristle-bearing raised dots are s.h.i.+ning green with a dusky cap. It feeds on _Brachypodium sylvatic.u.m_, but seems to accommodate itself to a diet of _Phalaris arundinacea_, and would perhaps eat other gra.s.ses: August to May. (Plate 23, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.)

The moth is out all through the summer months, and {61} frequents marshes, damp rides and borders of woods, heaths, and where there is plenty of tall gra.s.s.

The species is widely distributed over England and Wales, although it appears to be rather scarce in the midlands and northwards. In Ireland it is generally abundant, but in Scotland it has only been noted from the south, and is there local and rare.

The distribution abroad includes Amurland, Corea, and j.a.pan.

THE SMALL PURPLE BARRED (_Prothymnia viridaria_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 21, Figs. 10 [male], 11 [female]) range in colour from olive grey to olive brown, and are frequently adorned with two rosy-red (typical) or purplish bands (_aenea_, Haw.). In some specimens the bands are of a dusky hue and not very distinct, whilst in others the wings are of a uniform dingy brown tint (ab. _fusca_, Tutt).

The caterpillar (Plate 25, Fig. 2) is velvety-green above and paler beneath, yellowish between the rings, with a dark green slender line bordered by paler lines along the back, and three pale lines along the sides; below the yellowish spiracles there is a broader pale line becoming whitish on rings 9-12; head, green mottled with brown (adapted from h.e.l.lins).

It is to be found in August and September on the common milkwort (_Polygala vulgaris_). On May 31, 1906, I met with the moth in some numbers on a marshy bit of heath in Surrey, where there was a plentiful growth of lousewort (_Pedicularis_), but, so far as I know, no _Polygala_. All the moths were much below the average size, the bands were mainly purple, but in no case rosy. The moth flies in May and June, and specimens have been captured both earlier and later. Except that it does not appear to occur in the extreme north of Scotland, the species seems to be pretty generally distributed over the British Isles, and is often very common in many parts.

The eastern distribution extends to E. Siberia. {62}

THE SPOTTED SULPHUR (_Emmelia trabealis_).

Although this pretty black and yellow moth (Plate 21, Fig. 12) was noted by Stephens (1830) as being occasionally captured in Battersea fields, and as occurring near Margate, and elsewhere in Kent, it was not until 1847 that the Breck-sand district of Norfolk, adjoining parts of Suffolk, and Cambridge, became known as being inhabited by The Spotted Sulphur. The vicinity of Brandon and Tuddenham is especially favoured by the species, but it occurs in several other parts of the area. Occasionally, specimens have been captured in various Kentish localities, and between thirty and forty years ago single examples were taken in Hackney Marshes, Lower Clapton (August 2), also in Wandsworth (at light, July 26). From these facts it would appear possible that the species occasionally strays from its haunts in the eastern counties and sometimes to a considerable distance. Once, indeed, a specimen was found on a gas lamp at Exeter. On the other hand, it is quite conceivable that such wanderers may have come from abroad.

Some specimens are of a paler yellow than others, but there is rather more noticeable aberration in the number and intensity of the black markings.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, with three darker lines along the back, the central one pale edged; a pale yellow stripe runs along the region of the spiracles, and has a fine brownish line running through it from end to end. Another form is green with white lines. It feeds on the bindweed (_Convolvulus arvensis_) in July, and has a second brood in September. The moth, which rests among herbage by day, and flies towards evening, is found in June, July, and August.

The species is found throughout Central and Southern Europe, its range extending to Denmark and South Sweden; eastward it occurs in Asia Minor, Syria, and through Asia to j.a.pan. {63}

GONOPTERINae.

THE HERALD (_Scoliopteryx libatrix_).

Haworth (1802) gave this attractive species the English name of "Furbelow Moth," but Harris (1782) had named it Herald Moth (Plate 22, Fig. 1).

In the majority of specimens the purplish, or grey-brown fore wings, are more or less reddish tinged throughout, but occasionally the outer marginal area is free of this tint; the orange red marks on the central and basal areas are brighter in some specimens than in others.

The caterpillar, which feeds on sallow, osier, willow, and probably poplar (a chrysalis having been found in a curled leaf of black poplar), is a long, rather thin, greenish creature without any distinct markings, except that when full grown the front rings have two black spots. It may be found reposing on the upper leaves of its foodplant, from June to August. (Plate 25, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.)

The moth may be obtained at sugar, ivy-blossom, etc., from August to October, and it seems that the earliest to emerge are those that first take up hibernating quarters in barns, outhouses, roofs, belfries, and under arches. In the spring it reappears, and may be met with even in June. A specimen was taken at sugar on July 20, 1899, but whether this is to be regarded as a very late date or an unusually early one, I cannot say.

Generally distributed throughout Great Britain and Ireland, but of the Scottish Isles only recorded from Shetland. Abroad it ranges through Europe to North-West Africa, and through Asia to Amurland and j.a.pan; also in temperate North America.

NOTE.--Stephens (1829) referred this species to the genus _Calyptra_, Ochs., but in 1831 he adopted _Scoliopteryx_, Germar (1811). _Gonoptera_, Latr., which has been frequently used, only dates from 1825. {64}

QUADRIFINae.

THE GOLDEN PLUSIA (_Plusia moneta_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 2.

GOLDEN PLUSIA AT REST.

(Photo by H. Main.)]

The British history of the grey tinged pale golden species, shown on Plate 22, Fig. 4, dates back only to 1890. In that year, on July 2, Mr. Christy, of Watergate, Emsworth, found a specimen in his illuminated moth trap; this was noted in the _Entomologist_ for August, 1890. From subsequent records it appears that a specimen had been taken on the same date at a gas lamp near Reading, by Mr. W. Holland; whilst one was captured, at a light, near Tunbridge Wells on July 1. The earliest British specimen, however, was one netted whilst hovering over flowers of _Delphinium_ at Dover, on June 25 of the same year, but this was not announced until October. Since its arrival here the species seems to have spread over England at a great rate, and it has recently been reported from Ches.h.i.+re. In some southern gardens the caterpillars abound to such an extent that they are regarded as a plague.

On the continent it is said to feed on sunflower, artichoke, burdock, and cuc.u.mber.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 24.

1. SCARCE BURNISHED BRa.s.s.

2. GOLD SPANGLE.

3, 4. GOLD SPOT.

5, 6. BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN Y.

7, 8. PLAIN GOLDEN Y.

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