The Moths of the British Isles Volume I Part 41

THE MARSH MOTH (_Hydrilla pal.u.s.tris_).

The fore wings of the male of this species (Plate 153, Fig. 2) are greyish brown in colour, and more or less tinged with violet; the cross lines are dusky, and the reniform and orbicular stigmata are represented by black dots, the former the larger; hind wings whitish with a smoky tinge. The female is much smaller, darker, and the cross lines heavier; hind wings blackish grey.

Stainton ("Manual," 1857) refers to a specimen taken at Compton's Wood, near York, and this, no doubt, is the same as {322} that stated by Barrett to have been captured in a moist place at Stockton-in-the-Forest, about four miles from York, certainly before the year 1855. Then there is a record of a specimen from Quy Fen, Cambridges.h.i.+re, in May, 1862. Seven years later the late Mr. C. G. Barrett took a specimen as it fluttered about a gas-lamp outside Norwich. In 1877 and 1878 the use of bright collecting lanterns in Wicken Fen may have led to the capture of nearly twenty Marsh Moths, anyway it seems to have been a record for the time.

Very few specimens were taken in the fens between the year last mentioned and 1898, when the total secured by several collectors visiting the fens in June of that year amounted to something like fifty examples, all males. Two female specimens were captured in the Carlisle district, one in 1896, and the other in 1897. No male was noted in that locality until 1899, when a specimen was netted as it flew along a hedgeside at night, on May 20. Two other males have since been taken there, in much the same way. The life history of the species is little known. Hofmann describes the caterpillar as reddish brown with white dots, and a white line along the middle of the back; spiracles and head black. It feeds in the summer on low-growing plants in meadows, and hides in the daytime on the underside of a leaf.

The range of the species abroad extends to Siberia and Amurland.

THE BROWN RUSTIC (_Rusina tenebrosa_).

Here, again, the female is smaller than the male, as will be seen on Plate 153, Figs. 4 [male], 5 [female]. Sometimes the general colour of the fore wings is of a blacker tint, and in such specimens the fine black cross lines are obscured.

The caterpillar is dark cinnamon brown; three whitish lines on the back, the central one, most distinct on the front rings, is edged on each side with dark brown, and the shading of the outer lines is interrupted by oblique pale dashes; head, s.h.i.+ning dark brown, almost blackish. It feeds on gra.s.ses, and many low-growing plants from August to May. (Plate 152, Fig.

4.) The moth flies in June and July, sometimes earlier. The species is generally distributed over nearly the whole of England, but more local in the north than in the south. It is found in North and South Wales. In Scotland it is locally abundant and widely distributed up to Ross, and occurs in the Hebrides. It is also widely spread in Ireland, and common in some parts.

_Umbratica_, Goeze, is said to be an earlier name for this species, and will probably have to be adopted.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 156.

1, 1a, 1b. HEBREW CHARACTER: _eggs, caterpillars and chrysalis_.

2, 2a. CLOUDED DRAB: _caterpillars and chrysalis_.

3. MOUSE MOTH: _caterpillar_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 157.

1-6. CLOUDED DRAB MOTH.

7, 8. LEAD-COLOURED DRAB MOTH.

9, 10. NORTHERN DRAB.

{323} THE COPPER UNDERWING (_Amphipyra pyramidea_).

The striking species shown on Plate 154, Figs. 1 to 3, varies somewhat in the tint of its brown-coloured fore wings, and in the greater or lesser amount of blackish shading on the central area; the latter is sometimes quite absent, and not infrequently the outer marginal area is pale ochreous brown. The hind wings, normally of a coppery colour, are occasionally paler, and sometimes of a reddish hue.

The caterpillar is green with three interrupted whitish stripes on the back; the dots are yellowish; and the stripe along the black-edged white spiracles is whitish; the back of ring eleven is raised, forming a cone, the apex of which is hornlike and slightly curved backwards; the head is green. It feeds from April, or in forward seasons from March, to June, on the foliage of oak, birch, sallow, plum, rose, and other trees and shrubs.

The moth flies from late July to September, and sometimes later. Although somewhat local in Southern England, it is often common enough in the New Forest, and most of the larger woods from Ess.e.x to Devons.h.i.+re. Northwards from Oxfords.h.i.+re it becomes more local, less frequent, and even rare, {324} except, perhaps, in Worcesters.h.i.+re (Malvern district, common) and Herefords.h.i.+re. Apparently not recorded from Scotland. In Ireland it is sometimes plentiful in the south, but does not seem to occur north of Sligo on the west, and Howth on the east.

THE MOUSE (_Amphipyra tragopogonis_).

The English name of this generally distributed, and usually common, greyish-brown moth (Plate 154, Figs. 4, 5) applies more especially to the mouse-like way it scuttles off when discovered in its retreat by the collector. In colour, however, it is sometimes not unlike the familiar little rodent. The caterpillar (Plate 156, Fig. 3) is green with white lines and stripes along the back and sides; spiracles white, margined with black; head yellowish-green. In another form the ground colour is pale reddish brown. It feeds from April to June on sallow, hawthorn, and many other plants. Barrett states that it is partial to the blossoms, particularly yellow ones, of garden as well as wild plants. The moth flies in July and August, sometimes later.

The range abroad extends to Central Asia and to the Atlantic States of America.

NOTE.--Some recent authors refer this and the preceding species to _Pyrophila_, Hubn.

THE PINE BEAUTY (_Panolis griseo-variegata_ = _piniperda_).

The general colour of the fore wings of this species (Plate 155, Figs. 1, 3 [male], 2 [female]) is ochreous brown, more or less reddish tinged; sometimes greenish grey. The cross markings are bright or dull reddish brown; the orbicular and reniform stigmata are white, or outlined in white, sometimes connected by a white line along the median nervure; occasionally these marks are united, forming a blotch. {325}

The caterpillar is green with three broad white lines along the back, the outer ones edged above with black; a yellow, inclining to reddish orange, stripe along the black spiracles; head reddish brown. It greatly resembles the needles of the Scotch fir (_Pinus sylvestris_), upon which it feeds from May to July. The moth is out in the spring and continues on the wing until early May, and is often common at sallow bloom, where this occurs in the immediate vicinity of pine woods; it also comes to the sugar patch not infrequently, and may occasionally be seen on the trunks of fir trees, or beaten from the boughs. The species seems to occur wherever there are fir woods or plantations throughout England, Wales, and Scotland to Ross, and is found locally in Ireland.

THE WHITE-MARKED (_Pachn.o.bia leucographa_).

A portrait of this moth will be found on Plate 155, Fig. 4. The fore wings are reddish brown, sometimes tinged with purplish, or clouded with blackish. The reniform and orbicular stigmata are usually yellowish grey, often only outlined, but not infrequently indistinct, and sometimes absent.

The cross lines are rarely well defined, although the second line may be indicated by blackish dots flanked by whitish ones on the veins.

The caterpillar is green freckled with whitish; three whitish lines along the back are edged with dark green, the outer ones with oblique dark-green dashes spreading to the central line; head paler green. In another form the general colour is pale reddish brown, lines yellowish, and dashes darker reddish brown. It feeds on sallow, bilberry, dock, plantain, and other low plants. May and June. The moth flies in March and April, and may be found at sallow bloom around woods. The species is obtained more or less frequently in Kent, Surrey, Suss.e.x, Hamps.h.i.+re, Somerset, and Devon; also in Buckinghams.h.i.+re and in Suffolk. In Herefords.h.i.+re it is local but not {326} uncommon, and I have taken it in the Malvern district. British specimens were first obtained near York. Porritt ("List of Yorks. Lep.," 1904) states that it is still abundant in Bishop's Wood, and is found in other Yorks.h.i.+re localities; also occurs from Lancas.h.i.+re to Durham. In Ireland it has been reported from Clonbrock, Galway.

THE RED CHESTNUT (_Pachn.o.bia rubricosa_).

The fore wings of this moth (Plate 155, Figs. 5, 6) are purplish red and more or less suffused with greyish. Sometimes these wings are more distinctly reddish and without the greyish suffusion (var. _rufa_, Haw.).

The egg is pale straw colour, with a reddish-brown girdled dot. The caterpillar (Plate 159, Fig. 3) is pinkish brown with three yellowish lines along the back, the central one rather obscure; a yellowish stripe along the sides; usual dots yellowish or whitish margined with blackish; head yellowish brown, lined with darker brown. It feeds from April to June on dock, dandelion, groundsel, and other low plants. The moth is out in March and April, and is often not uncommon at sallow and plum blossom. It seems to be pretty generally distributed throughout the British Isles, including the Orkneys.

THE HEBREW CHARACTER (_Taeniocampa gothica_).

This species (Plate 155) varies in the general colour of the fore wings from pale purplish grey to dark reddish brown. Figs. 7[male] and 8[female]

represent the more usual form. The black markings, often very conspicuous, are in the somewhat smaller var. _gothicina_, reddish (Fig. 9). Sometimes in Scotch specimens they are very indistinct or absent (Fig. 10).

The early stages are figured on Plate 156. The eggs (Fig. 1a) are laid in a batch, two deep towards the centre of the {327} heap. In colour they are whitish with a dark grey ring and dot. When five days old the young caterpillars were pale whitish green with black dots; head and plates on first and last rings of the body black. The nearly full-grown caterpillar (Fig. 1) is green above and yellowish green below; three whitish lines on the back and a yellowish stripe along the sides; usual dots black, ringed with whitish; head s.h.i.+ning yellowish, dotted with black. Feeding on dock, dandelion, etc., it will also eat sallow and hawthorn, and the foliage of other trees and bushes, in April, May, and June. The moth is common at sallow bloom all over the British Isles. The range of the species abroad extends to Amurland.

THE BLOSSOM UNDERWING (_Taeniocampa miniosa_).

A portrait of this species will be found on Plate 158, Fig. 8. The fore wings are pinkish, or reddish grey, and the redder central area is often tinged with orange; the hind wings are whitish, faintly shaded or tinged with pink.

The full-grown caterpillar is bluish, inclining to black on the sides; three yellow lines on the back, the central one broad; and a white blotched yellow stripe along the sides; head s.h.i.+ning black. (Adapted from Fenn.) The eggs are laid in batches on the twigs of oak, usually just below a bud.

When the caterpillars hatch out they spin a web of silk under which they live in company for a time; later on they separate, and then either continue to feed on the oak or betake themselves to birch, hawthorn, bramble, or some low-growing herbaceous plant. The "nests" of young caterpillars are found chiefly on oak bushes rather than trees.

The moth flies in March and April, and generally occurs only in oak woods.

It is most frequently met with in the South of England--from Middles.e.x and Ess.e.x to Hamps.h.i.+re; but it occurs in most of the southern counties, and also northwards {328} up to Yorks.h.i.+re. It has been found in Wales (Pembroke and Dolgelly), and appears to be rare in Ireland, except at Glenmalure, Co.

Wicklow.

THE SMALL QUAKER (_Taeniocampa pulverulenta_).

Most specimens of this species (Plate 158, Figs. 9[male], 10[female]) have the fore wings pale greyish ochreous, more or less mottled or dusted with reddish brown. Occasionally these wings are pale grey (var. _nana_, Haworth); or dark grey brown and more rarely blackish. The dingy brownish dots representing the first and second cross lines are sometimes distinct and not infrequently absent.

The egg is whitish with brown girdled dot.

The caterpillar is greenish grey and rather greener between the rings; there are five yellow or whitish lines, that along the centre of the back being the broadest, usual dots black and glossy; head greenish, much marked with black: plates on first and last rings of the body black. It feeds from April to June on oak, hawthorn, sallow, rose, etc. (Plate 159, Fig. 2.) The moth flies in March and April, and is a constant visitor to the sallow catkins, also to the blossoms of plum, damson, and sloe. It appears to be common throughout England and Wales; more or less frequent in Scotland to Moray; and is not uncommon in some districts of Wicklow and Galway, but local and rather scarce in other parts of Ireland.

THE COMMON QUAKER (_Taeniocampa stabilis_).

The ground colour of the fore wings of this species (Plate 158, Figs. 1, 2) ranges from whitish or pale grey brown through tints of reddish brown to dark brown; the stigmata are outlined in pale ochreous, the centres often darker than the general colour of the wings; the orbicular is of large size and frequently {329} touches the reniform; the ochreous submarginal line is usually inwardly edged with, and sometimes obscured by, blackish; very often the submarginal line and the dusky central shade are the only distinct cross markings.

The caterpillar is green, minutely dotted with yellow; three lines on the back, and a stripe on the sides, yellow, the latter most distinct, edged above with black, and united by a yellow bar on the last ring. It feeds on oak, birch, sallow, beech, elm, etc., from April to June. The moth flies in March and April, and is generally common throughout the British Isles, except, perhaps, the islands of Scotland.

THE LEAD-COLOURED DRAB (_Taeniocampa populeti_).