The Moths of the British Isles Volume Ii Part 50

The rather long and somewhat oval fore wings of this species (Plate 137, Figs. 8, 9) are brownish grey, inclining to purplish grey; the two cross lines are blackish, edged with whitish, but generally indistinct; when the lines are well defined, the enclosed central area is sometimes darker than the other parts of the wings; there is a black central dot, and occasionally there is a well-marked dusky central shade. Hind wings, whitish, more or less tinged with smoky grey; frequently there is a dusky, curved line beyond the middle, and this is sometimes outwardly edged with whitish.

The caterpillar is greyish brown, dotted with black, and marked on the back and sides with reddish brown. When at rest on the twigs of its food plant, heather or ling (_Calluna vulgaris_), this caterpillar agrees so well with its surroundings that it is not at all easy to see; at least, we may see it, but fail to distinguish it from the twigs of the plant. It may be obtained in June and July, and again in the autumn. (Figured on Plate 140, after Hofmann.)

The first flight of the moth occurs in April and May; the second in August, but specimens of the later generation are usually small in size and in number, as compared with those of the early brood.

In Britain, this species has so far only been found on the heaths of Kent, Surrey, Suss.e.x, Hamps.h.i.+re, Dorsets.h.i.+re, Somersets.h.i.+re, Berks.h.i.+re, and Suffolk; in all these counties it is more or less local, but it abounds in some of its haunts. It has been recorded from Hereford, and Edwards states that it occurs rarely in the Malvern district of Worcesters.h.i.+re.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 138.

1. SATIN CARPET: _egg and caterpillar_.

2. SQUARE SPOT: _eggs_.

3. THE ENGRAILED: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 139.

1-3. ANNULET.

4, 5. SCOTCH ANNULET.

6, 7. BLACK MOUNTAIN MOTH.

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THE ANNULET (_Gnophos_ (_Sciadion_) _obscurata_).

In a general way, all the grey specimens of this species are referable to the type form _obscurata_, Schiffermuller; the true type, however, appears to be rare in Britain, even if it occurs at all. It is, perhaps, best represented by well-marked dark specimens from limestone districts, or the lighter ones from peaty ground. At Folkestone and in other chalky localities on the Kentish coast, the bulk of the specimens are pale grey inclining to whitish, usually with the black cross lines showing more or less clearly. Sometimes the lines are obscured by heavy freckling (ab.

_woodiata_, Prout); not infrequently, at Folkestone chiefly, the inner and outer areas are pale, more or less free of freckling, but the central area, defined by black lines, is densely freckled; this is the banded form (ab.

_fasciata_, Prout). A form occurs on the chalk hills at Lewes in Suss.e.x, in which the wings are almost white, without freckling, but with distinct black lines and rings (ab. _calceata_, Staudinger); a modification of this whitish form from Lewes has been described by Prout as ab. _mundata_, "Almost pure whitish, with virtually no markings, excepting the annulets."

On heaths in Surrey and Hamps.h.i.+re, and on the mountains of Aberdeen and Perths.h.i.+re, a blackish form occurs (ab. _obscuriorata_, Prout = _obscuraria_, Hubner, 146); and sometimes specimens are found in which the wings are of "an intense and almost uniform black" (ab. _saturata_, Prout).

In Devons.h.i.+re and Cornwall, the species is darkish grey inclining to brownish (ab. _anthracinaria_, Esper); whilst on the coasts of North Devon and Wales it is of a slaty grey, more or less tinged with brown, and almost without markings; the Welsh specimens are large, and the wings are rather s.h.i.+ning (ab. _uniformata_, Prout). A form, which I have not seen, of "a sandy or reddish colour" is referred by Prout (_Trans. City of Lond. Ent.

Soc._, 1903, p. 39) to ab. _argillacearia_, Staudinger; it {320} occurs in sandstone localities. (Plate 84, Figs. 1, Folkestone; 2, New Forest; 3, Lewes.)

The rather rough and dumpy caterpillar is dark greyish brown above, inclining to purplish brown beneath; the raised dots are capped with white, and there is a pair of white-capped warts on the last ring (adapted from Barrett). It feeds on rock rose (_Helianthemum_), cinquefoil (_Potentilla_), salad burnet (_Poterium_), etc.; or the larvae may be reared on groundsel, chickweed, and strawberry, both wild and cultivated: September to May. (Plate 140, Fig. 2.)

Mr. A. J. Scollick kindly gave me some eggs, laid by a female taken in Surrey; they were yellowish green at first, but changed to pale brownish.

The caterpillars hatched and seemed to thrive on groundsel, but they died during the winter.

The moth is out in July and August, and is widely distributed in England, but except that it occurs in Surrey, Berks.h.i.+re, Herefords.h.i.+re, and Worcesters.h.i.+re, it seems to prefer the seaboard counties, and in them chiefly affects localities near the sea. It is found in Wales, and in Scotland up to Moray; but in both these countries and also in Ireland it is most frequent on the coast.

SCOTCH ANNULET (_Gnophos myrtillata_).

This species (Plate 139, Figs. 4 [male], 5 [female]) was introduced, as a species new to Britain, by Curtis, who described and figured it as _Charissa operaria_ in 1826, from specimens captured in Scotland.

Subsequently, it was found to be the _obfuscaria_, of Hubner, and also the _obfuscata_ of the Vienna Catalogue (1776). The latter, however, being only a bare name without description, was not generally accepted, although, if valid, it would be prior to Hubner. Still later the species was ascertained to be the _myrtillata_ of Thunberg (1792), and as this name is much earlier than _obfuscaria_ it is here adopted. As a matter of fact, both names are in use, as that of Hubner applies to our ashy grey form of the species, whilst that given by Thunberg belongs to the typical fuscous grey form.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 140.

1. HORSE CHESTNUT: _caterpillar_.

2. ANNULET: _caterpillar_.

3. BORDERED WHITE: _caterpillar, and chrysalis (enlarged)_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 141.

1, 2. NETTED MOUNTAIN MOTH.

3. FROSTED YELLOW.

4-7. COMMON HEATH.

8-10. BORDERED WHITE.

{321} The rather stout caterpillar is grey with darker lines and V-shaped marks along the middle of the back, and dark-edged pale lines on the sides; two erect whitish points on ring 12. It feeds on heather (_Calluna_), broom (_Sarothamnus scoparius_), and needle furze or petty-whin (_Genista anglica_), but it may be reared on knot gra.s.s. September to June, sometimes later.

The moth is out in July and August, and frequents heaths, moor, and mountain, in Scotland from Clydesdale (including Bute and Arran) to Aberdeen and Ross, and the Isle of Lewis. A male specimen has been recorded from Ireland (Dowros Head, co. Donegal, 1898). It may be found resting upon rocks, stone walls, etc.; where these have suitable holes, crannies, or projections they are selected as hiding places. Sometimes the moth has been noted on the wing during the day, but at night it flies freely, and will then visit light.

BLACK MOUNTAIN MOTH (_Psodos coracina_).

The smoky-grey species represented on Plate 139, Figs. 6 [male] 7 [female], has two black lines on the fore wings; these are often edged with whitish, and the s.p.a.ce between them blackish; the submarginal line is whitish, and the discal spot is black; the hind wings have a black central spot and two pale lines or bands. The female is rather smaller and much paler. In both s.e.xes the central band of the fore wings is generally narrowed below the middle, and sometimes it is completely divided at this point.

As regards the British Isles, this species is known only to occur in the Highlands of Scotland. It is a day flyer, and very fond of suns.h.i.+ne, but its favourite haunts are situated at elevations of from 2000 to 4000 feet.

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NOTE.--Newman (_British Moths_, p. 68) figures this species as The Dusky Carpet (_Mniophila cineraria_), and the insect, then known by the latter name, is figured as _Psodos trepidaria_, a synonym of the present species.

In referring to this transposition of names, it may be well to add that _M.

cineraria_, catalogued as British by Doubleday, and stated by Stainton (_Manual_ ii., p. 31) to have once occurred at Tenby, South Wales, can only be regarded as an "accidental." The specimen, which is in the Natural History Museum, at South Kensington, appears to be _Tephronia sepiaria_, Hufnagel, which is the _cineraria_ of Hubner.

A moth, supposed to be a specimen of _Dasydia tenebraria_, Esper = _torvaria_, Hubner, was reported as taken in Ireland "many years" before 1843, but at the present time that specimen, apparently, does not exist, and there is no exact description of it extant.

NETTED MOUNTAIN MOTH (_Fidonia carbonaria_).

The white wings of this species (Plate 141, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]) are freckled with blackish and crossed by black stripes; sometimes the freckling is so heavy that the white ground colour is much obscured and only distinctly seen as edging to the cross stripes.

The caterpillar is dingy ochreous or whity brown marked with wavy darker stripes. It feeds at night on birch and sallow; _Vaccinium_, _Erica_, bearberry (_Arctostaphylos uva-ursi_) have also been mentioned as food plants.

In April and May, the moth, which is to be found locally, high up on the mountains of Scotland from Perths.h.i.+re to Ross, is on the wing, and flies in the suns.h.i.+ne. Writing of this species at Rannoch in May (about 17th), 1905, Mr. E. A. c.o.c.kayne remarks that the moths began to fly about noon, {323} when they appeared on all sides and were fairly active on the wing.

The distribution abroad is northern and Alpine, and the range extends to North-east Siberia.

FROSTED YELLOW (_Fidonia limbaria_).

This black-bordered orange-yellow species (Plate 141, Fig. 3) is not likely to be confused with any other occurring in Britain. The wings are more or less sprinkled with black, but this is usually most noticeable on the hind wings which are sometimes thickly sprinkled, or, more rarely, the yellow ground colour is entirely obscured. The form with a black discal spot on all the wings has been named ab. _quadripunctaria_, Fuchs. In ab. _fumata_, Mathew, the orange yellow is replaced by smoky umber brown, tinged with orange, and dusted with black atoms (bred July, 1899).

The caterpillar is greenish with grey-edged yellowish lines along the back, and a black-edged yellow one along the sides. The ground colour is sometimes purplish brown. It feeds on broom chiefly, but will eat other Genisteae. There appears to be two broods, one in June, and the other in September, or earlier sometimes. The moth is out in May and early June, and again in July and August, but it has been known to remain in the chrysalis for four years. It flies in the suns.h.i.+ne, and when resting, it sits like a b.u.t.terfly, with its wings brought together over its back.

Stephens (1831) states that the species was "not uncommon among high broom in the vicinity of Birch-wood in Kent." Later authors give Stowmarket (common), Needham, Barham, and Ipswich, in Suffolk. There are no recent records from the county of Kent; and not much has been heard of the species from Suffolk, although it may still exist, in greatly reduced numbers, in some of its old haunts therein. {324}

COMMON HEATH (_Ematurga atomaria_).

Four specimens of this variable species are shown on Plate 141 (Figs. 4, 5 [male], 6, 7 [female]). The general colour of all the wings in the male is ochreous, inclining to whitish or to brownish. Usually the wings are speckled with brown, and the cross lines, or bands, are dark brown.

Occasionally the cross markings are absent; but more frequently the three lines on the fore wings are much broadened and more or less united, sometimes forming a central band in which are a few ochreous scales towards the front margin: ab. _obsoletaria_, Zetterstedt. Dark brown or blackish specimens (ab. _unicolorata_, Staudinger) are captured now and then in the southern counties of England, but such uniform dark varieties are more frequent in the north (Staffords.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re). The female is white in colour, and usually only lightly speckled with blackish; the cross lines are more conspicuous, as a rule, than in the male, but they are subject to pretty much the same kind of aberration. Sometimes examples of this s.e.x greatly resemble _Fidonia carbonaria_, and have been confused with that species by Haworth and other entomologists in the past. An abnormal specimen with six wings has been recorded, and Barrett mentions a gynandrous example--the right side like a small dark female, and the left an ordinary male; both antennae shortly pectinated.