The Moths of the British Isles Volume Ii Part 37

Widely distributed in England, Wales and Ireland.

The range abroad extends to north-east Siberia; and the species has been recorded from j.a.pan. {236}

TRIPLE-SPOTTED PUG (_Eupithecia trisignaria_).

The most noticeable markings on the rather s.h.i.+ny, pale-brown fore wings of this species (Plate 97, Fig. 13) are the black discal spot and two blackish clouds above it on the front margin.

The stoutish caterpillar is green, with three darker green lines along the back, and a wavy yellowish line low down along the sides; head, black. It feeds, in the autumn, on flowers and seeds of angelica and cow-parsnip, but the former is its chief food.

June and July are the months for the moth, but it is rarely met with in the open. The only English counties in which the species has been noted are Surrey, Suss.e.x, Dorset and Devon in the south; from Herefords.h.i.+re in the west its range extends through Worcester, Warwick, Leicester, and Derby to Lancas.h.i.+re and York. In Scotland, Renton records it as common at Hawick, in Roxburghs.h.i.+re; and it was recorded from Argylls.h.i.+re in 1902. Hardly known in Ireland.

LARCH PUG (_Eupithecia lariciata_).

This species (Plate 97, Fig. 3) is very like that next referred to, but the fore wings are rather longer, the ground colour is whiter, and the dark-grey or blackish cross lines are rather more angled and slanting; the hind wings are paler, and especially so on the front margins.

The long caterpillar is bright green, with a darker green line along the back, merging into reddish on the last ring; sometimes reddish ochreous with the line along the back brownish. It feeds, in June and July, on larch, and will also eat spruce.

The moth is out in May and early June, and may be jarred from larch trees, or sometimes be found at rest on their stems. {237}

As a British species, it was first met with in Surrey, in 1862, then it was noted in Suss.e.x, and shortly afterwards in Yorks.h.i.+re. At the present time, it will probably be found in any locality where larch is plentiful.

GREY PUG (_Eupithecia castigata_).

Although, as the English name suggests, this insect is greyish, there is always a tinge of ochreous in the composition of its general colour (Plate 97, Fig. 6). Not infrequently the ground colour is decidedly brownish in tint. The markings vary in clearness, but are most distinct in the paler forms. A blackish form occurs in the north of England, and in the Clydesdale district of Scotland, and was formerly known as the "Paisley Pug."

The longish caterpillar (Plate 92, Fig. 1) is pale or dusky olive, varying to reddish brown, with a series of darker marks on the back. It feeds, from August to October, on the foliage of almost any plant.

The moth is out in May and June, and occasionally a few specimens emerge in the autumn. Generally distributed over the British Isles, but apparently not noted in the Orkneys and Shetlands.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland.

PLAIN PUG (_Eupithecia subnotata_).

The fore wings of this species are pale ochreous brown, inclining to pale reddish on the outer marginal area; the most distinct markings are a pale cross band beyond the black discal dot, and a pale winding submarginal line. The hind wings are smoky grey, with whitish wavy cross lines, the most distinct being the outer (Plate 97, Fig. 9). The stoutish and somewhat {238} stumpy caterpillar is green, or pale yellowish brown, with three darker lines and marks on the back; a yellowish line low down on the sides.

It feeds on flowers and seeds of orache (_Atriplex_), and goosefoot (_Chenopodium_): August and September. Figured on Plate 94, Figs. 1, 1a, from coloured drawings by Mr. A. Sich. In July, the moth may be disturbed from its food plant or adjacent herbage, or it may be seen resting on palings or fences. It flies at night, and will come to light.

Not uncommon in many places in the southern half of England, and found in the rest of the country, chiefly on the coast, to Hartlepool in Durham, also in Wales. Once recorded from south Scotland, and only noted from the coast near Dublin, in Ireland.

SCARCE PUG (_Eupithecia extensaria_).

The conspicuously marked insect represented on Plate 97, Fig. 12, is, so far, only known to occur, in Britain, on the coasts of Norfolk and Yorks.h.i.+re. It was first discovered in the latter county more than thirty years ago; about twelve years later it was found on the Norfolk coast, and caterpillars were also obtained from the sea wormwood (_Artemisia maritima_) in the autumn.

The long caterpillar, which feeds on the flowers and foliage of its food plant, is green, with three lines along the back, the central one dusky and the others whitish; a white stripe low down along the sides is edged below with rosy brown. It will thrive on the cultivated southernwood or "lad's love" (_Artemisia abrotanum_).

The moth is out in June and July, and may be found in its haunts among the sea wormwood, not only on the coast of Norfolk, but quite possibly, here and there, in suitable places on the east coast from Ess.e.x to the Humber.

Caterpillars may be obtained in August and September. [Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 100.

1. V. PUG.

2-6. GREEN PUG, _and vars_.

7, 8. BILBERRY PUG.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 101.

1. MAGPIE: _caterpillars and chrysalis_.

2. CLOUDED MAGPIE: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and caterpillars_.

{239}

EDINBURGH PUG (_Eupithecia helveticaria_).

The two examples of this species on Plate 96, Figs. 3, 4, are from the Pentland Hills, Scotland, and are referable to _anglicata_, Milliere. In this form, which is smaller than the type, the fore wings are grey brown, more or less tinged with reddish, and sometimes inclining to purplish; the whitish edged dark cross lines, especially the basal first and second, are usually distinct, and the veins are often marked with black and white. Ab.

_arceuthata_, Freyer, a paler grey form, occurs in Buckinghams.h.i.+re, and has also been reported from Surrey. The specimens from the latter county, at least those from the Dorking district, were subsequently referred to _E.

satyrata_.

The stoutish and rather rough caterpillar is green, with three lines along the back, the central one dark green, and the others white; a broad yellowish stripe low down along the sides. It feeds on juniper, in June and July, and sometimes again in September and October. The moth is out in April, May, and June, and a second brood may appear in August and September. The species seems to occur among juniper, in Scotland, from Roxburghs.h.i.+re to Sutherland. It is local in North Lancas.h.i.+re, has been reported from near Llandudno, North Wales, and, as adverted to above, occurs in Bucks.

SATYR PUG (_Eupithecia satyrata_).

Four specimens are depicted on Plate 96. Fig. 5 represents the typical pale brownish grey form, in which the cross lines are indistinct, and the veins are marked with white and dusky. Fig. 6 shows the rather browner, moorland ab. _callunaria_, Doubleday, and Figs. 7 and 8 depict two forms of the Shetland race, known as var. _curzoni_, Gregson. A much rarer form than {240} any of the above is the pale brownish ab. _pernotata_, Guenee (_cauchyata_, Meyrick).

The caterpillar is greenish with a series of purplish-brown edged, dusky green, Y-shaped marks along the back; above the yellow spiracular line is a row of slanting purplish blotches; sometimes the general colour is paler, and the markings on the back and sides rosy; occasionally, the whole of the back is rosy (adapted from Crewe). It feeds on the flowers of knapweed (_Centaurea nigra_), scabious, hawkweed (_Hieracium_), heath, sallow, etc., etc.: August and September.

The moth is out in May and June, and is found in woodlands, and on heaths and moors. It is widely distributed over the British Isles.

BORDERED PUG (_Eupithecia succenturiata_).

The fore wings are white, clouded and suffused with dark grey on all the margins. The greyish clouding sometimes covers the whole area of the wings, except a very limited s.p.a.ce under the black discal spot (ab. _disparata_, Hubner). Plate 97, Figs. 2, a specimen from Lancs., 5, one from Surrey.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, paler in some specimens than in others; a series of blackish spear-head marks along the back, connected by a blackish line, and a dusky line on each side; a whitish line along the spiracles. It feeds, in September and October, on mugwort (_Artemisia vulgaris_), tansy (_Tanacetum vulgare_), and yarrow (_Achillea_). It may be reared on garden Chrysanthemum. Chrysalis, dark buff, inclining to brown; wing cases olive green; figure 7 on Plate 92 is from a photo by Mr. Main, and is enlarged to twice the natural size.

The moth is out in July and early August; it is not readily put up from its hiding-place among herbage, but at night, when on the wing, it will come to light. {241}

The species is most frequent, perhaps, on the coast, but it is widely distributed over England and Wales. Rare in Ireland, and only noted from counties Armagh, Louth, and Dublin; Kane states that he met with it in some numbers on Lambay Island. Once reported from Ayrs.h.i.+re, Scotland.

The Surrey specimen (Fig. 5) appears to be referable to _exalbidata_, Staudinger, a form occurring chiefly in Asia, but occasionally found in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

TAWNY SPECKLED PUG (_Eupithecia subfulvata_).

Two forms of this species are shown on Plate 97. Fig. 8 represents the reddish typical form, and Fig. 11 (from Lancs. coast) the dark ab.

_oxydata_, Treitschke. Between these two extremes, there are various intermediate forms, showing more or less distinct cross lines.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, with a chain of oval, olive-brown spots along the back; there are also two brownish interrupted lines; the spiracular line is white. Sometimes the general colour is ochreous brown, or grey brown. It feeds, in September and October, on yarrow, and will thrive on tansy, and the flowers of garden chrysanthemum.

The chrysalis of this species is said to differ from that of _E.

succenturiata_ in being of a rich red colour, inclining to buff on the wing cases.