The Moths of the British Isles Volume Ii Part 38

In July and August, the moth may sometimes be seen resting on fences, but it is more frequently hidden away among herbage. At night it will visit flowers, especially those of the ragwort.

The species is widely distributed over England and Wales, and in Scotland up to Moray. In Ireland, it is found on the coast from Louth to Cork.

By some entomologists, _subfulvata_, Haworth, and its variety, _oxydata_, are set down as forms of the preceding species. {242}

SHADED PUG (_Eupithecia scabiosata_).

The grey, or greyish-brown lined, whitish species shown on Plate 97, Fig.

14, has been known by three names in Britain. It was named and described by Stephens, in 1831, as _piperata_ (The Speckled Pug), from a specimen, or specimens, taken at Riddlesdown, near Croydon, Surrey; later, it was supposed to be the _sub.u.mbrata_, of the _Vienna Catalogue_ (1776), and certainly of Guenee. The name given to it by Borkhausen, in 1794, appears to be the correct one, and is here adopted.

Crewe describes the caterpillar as yellowish green, with three dark lines on the back, the outer one not clearly defined; a yellow line on each side of the head, and of the last ring of the body.

It feeds on flowers of one of the hawkbits (_Leontodon hispidus_), and hawk's-beard (_Crepis taraxacifolia_), etc., from July to September. In June and early July, the moth may be started up from the herbage, as the collector walks over rough ground inland, or more frequently on the coast.

It also occurs in fens, marshy places in woods, etc.

The species occurs in Bucks., Berks., Surrey, and in the seaboard counties from Norfolk in the east to Gloucesters.h.i.+re in the west, also in South Wales; in the north it is found in Lancas.h.i.+re, Yorks.h.i.+re, Durham, and Northumberland. It is not common in Scotland, but has been reported from various parts, extending from Wigtown to Argyll and Aberdeen. In Ireland it is also a coast insect, from Donegal to Cork.

HAWORTH'S PUG (_Eupithecia haworthiata_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 98. Fig. 2) are pale greyish, with dark cross lines, and still darker narrow bands; hind wings, similar, but markings less distinct. Resembles {243} the last species in size, but the wings are somewhat rounder, darker, and not so silky in appearance; the body, near the thorax, is ochreous brown. Also known as _isogrammaria_, Herrich-Schaeffer, but _haworthiata_, Doubleday, is stated by Prout to be the older name.

In July and August the caterpillar (Plate 90, Fig. 3) may be found in the flower-buds of the traveller's joy or old man's beard (_Clematis vitalba_).

It is green, with a bluish or pinkish tinge, and there are generally three darker stripes along the back, but these are sometimes absent; occasionally the ground colour is yellowish.

The moth is out in June and July, and may be seen flying about clematis in the suns.h.i.+ne, but such specimens are not often worth taking. It is easily reared from caterpillars, which will thrive on flowers of garden _Clematis_, and may be obtained by the score, either by beating, or by searching for discoloured or black-specked flower buds of the traveller's joy.

The species is most frequent in the south of England, but it occurs in all the eastern, some of the midland, and also in the northern counties to Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re; in the last-named county, Porritt states that the caterpillars were found in profusion on _Clematis_ near Wadworth, Doncaster, in 1901, It inhabits South Wales and Ireland.

Abroad, the species ranges to Amurland and China.

VALERIAN PUG (_Eupithecia valerianata_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 98, Fig. 3) are brownish grey, with indistinct darker cross lines, and a wavy whitish submarginal line; the latter is sometimes not clear, except towards the inner angle.

Caterpillar, rather short, bright green, with three darker green lines along the back; a whitish line low down along the sides, and the ring-divisions are yellow. It feeds, in July {244} and August, on flowers and seeds of all-heal, or cat's valerian (_Valeriana officinalis_).

The moth is out in May and June; its haunts are in fens, marshes, and damp spots affected by its food plant, but, as a rule, is only found in the caterpillar state. A local, but widely distributed species in England; occurs also in Wales and in Ireland.

LEAD-COLOURED PUG (_Eupithecia plumbeolata_).

The small, obscurely marked species, represented on Plate 98, Fig. 1, has the fore wings whitish grey, sometimes a.s.suming a yellowish tinge; a number of rather wavy, darker cross lines, and a more or less clearly defined pale band beyond the middle; discal spot always tiny and rarely distinct.

The stumpy caterpillar is yellowish green, with three purplish-red lines along the back, the central one swollen on each ring, and the others irregular; sometimes the back is suffused with purplish-red. It feeds on the flowers of cow-wheat (_Melampyrum_) in July and August.

The moth is out in May and June, and is readily induced to fly out from among cow-wheat, or the other herbage around. It may be found in most of the English counties, wherever its food plant abounds; in South Wales; in Scotland to Argyll and Aberdeen, and in Ireland from Cork to Donegal.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

MARSH PUG (_Eupithecia pygmaeata_).

This species (Plate 98, Fig. 4) may be distinguished from _haworthiata_, which it approaches in size and general appearance, by its more pointed fore wings and the white dot at the inner angle of these wings. {245}

The long, thin caterpillar is yellowish green; a pale olive line along the middle of the back, connecting a series of urn-shaped blotches of the same colour; two pale olive, irregular lines on each side. It feeds, in June and July, on flowers of st.i.tchwort (_Stellaria holostea_).

The moth is out in May and June, sometimes later; examples of a second brood have been obtained in August and September. It flies in the afternoon, but only when the sun s.h.i.+nes, and where the food plant grows freely.

The species occurs in all the eastern counties of England, in Bucks., and in the northern counties to c.u.mberland and Northumberland. In Wales it has been recorded from Colwyn, Denbighs.h.i.+re; in Scotland it is widely spread to Perths.h.i.+re; it is local and scarce in Ireland.

SLENDER PUG (_Eupithecia tenuiata_).

The fore wings are rather rounded; grey, more or less tinged with brownish, and with ochreous or reddish brown along the front edge; the latter with dusky clouds upon it; the cross lines are dark grey brown and fairly distinct, and the discal spot is black (Plate 98, Fig. 5). A large grey form from Moray, in Scotland, has been named _cinerae_, Gregson.

Caterpillar, rather stumpy, and dingy yellowish green in colour, the sides and middle of the back rosy; a series of dusky spots, edged by black lines or short streaks, along the back; and a row of pinkish oblique stripes on the sides. It feeds, in the spring, in sallow catkins, and the moths may often be bred in numbers, in June and July, from those catkins which fall most readily from the bushes when we go "a sallowing." Moths frequently rest on the stems, and where there is a clump of well-grown sallows, a good series may be obtained.

The species is partial to fens and marshy places, and is found in such situations over the greater part of the British Isles. {246}

MAPLE PUG (_Eupithecia inturbata_).

The fore wings are greyish brown, with many darker cross lines; the outer margin is darker and traversed by a pale line; discal dot, dark grey and not very distinct (Plate 98, Fig. 6). This species was long known as _subciliata_, Guenee, but is now referred to _inturbata_, Hubner.

In May and June the caterpillars may be beaten from maple, which is apparently the only food plant, and of which they have a decided preference for the flowers. When full grown the larva is yellowish green with a purplish stripe along the back, and whitish lines along the sides.

The moth may be jarred from the branches of the maple in July and August; it is occasionally seen resting on fences, etc. It seems to be found in England and Wales, in most places where there is a mature growth of maple.

THE ANGLE-BARRED PUG (_Eupithecia innotata_).

The greyish-brown fore wings of this species (Plate 98, Fig. 7) are crossed by darker oblique lines, which are angled on the front margin; the submarginal line is white and irregular, especially at each end.

Caterpillar, ochreous grey, inclining to pinkish, marked on the back with white-edged, purplish- or reddish-brown blotches, and on the sides with reddish or purple spots; a whitish line low down along the sides. It feeds on the flowers of wormwood and mugwort (_Artemisia_), from August to October.

The moth, which is uncommon and very local in England, is out in July. It occurs in Devons.h.i.+re (Exeter district), Kent (Wye), Ess.e.x (s...o...b..ryness), Lincolns.h.i.+re (Skegness, etc.), Worcesters.h.i.+re (Malvern), Lancas.h.i.+re and Ches.h.i.+re (coast sand-hills, Macclesfield, etc.), and Durham (Hartlepool).

{247}

ASH PUG (_Eupithecia fraxinata_).

Very similar to the last mentioned, but smaller, and the markings are less distinct (Plate 98, Fig. 8).

The caterpillar is variable, but generally some shade of green, occasionally purplish red; lines on the sides yellowish, and sometimes there are dusky purplish marks on the back. It feeds, in August and September, on ash, and is said to eat _Artemisia_, _Laurustinus_, and the flowers of scabious. The moth is out in late June and July, and sometimes a second generation appears in the autumn.

This species, which by some entomologists is considered to be a form of _E.

innotata_, is widely distributed over England, south Scotland, and Ireland.

_Tamarisciata_, Freyer, is also considered by some authorities to be a form of _E. innotata_.

Some moths reared from larvae obtained, in 1905, from Tamarisk, in Cornwall, have been referred to _tamarisciata_.

NARROW-WINGED PUG (_Eupithecia nanata_).

The rather variable species represented on Plate 99, Figs. 1 and 2, will easily be recognised by its long pointed fore wings, which in colour are whitish grey, darkened by brownish cross-stripes; a whitish spot before the small, black discal dot.