The Moths of the British Isles Volume Ii Part 43

In its infancy it is a smooth-looking creature, but as it advances in growth k.n.o.bs and humps appear, the most prominent of which are on rings 2, 5, 8, and 11; on the {274} last ring there are two points. It feeds on oak chiefly, but will eat birch, lime, etc.: May to July. The moth is out in August and September, and occurs more or less frequently in most of the southern counties of England, but is rather scarce in the Midlands and northwards. It occurs in South Wales, and has been recorded from the south of Scotland. Very rare in Ireland.

NOTE.--The species of _Ennomos_ are fond of light, and in suitable spots, gas and electric lamps, in the streets, or even in the house when windows are open, will attract these moths. Most of the specimens of _autumnaria_ that have been captured in Britain have occurred at light. _Quercinaria_ is, perhaps, less often noted at light than its allies; but, curiously, this species is more frequently seen at rest on tree trunks, etc., than are either of the other kinds. Female moths taken at light may not always be in first-rate condition, but they will probably lay eggs, and should be kept for that purpose in a chip box. The caterpillars do not hatch out until the following spring. Put the eggs in a cool place.

EARLY THORN (_Selenia bilunaria_).

The s.e.xes of the spring or typical form are depicted on Plate 112, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female], and the paler summer form var. _juliaria_ (July Thorn), Haworth, is represented by Fig. 3. The underside is shown in Mr. H. Main's photo of the moth in its natural resting att.i.tude.

The caterpillar is orange or reddish brown, sometimes inclining to purplish; there are pairs of reddish raised points on the back of rings 7 and 8; as will be seen from the accompanying ill.u.s.tration, which is from a photograph by Mr. Main, the creature, when resting, is very like a twig. It feeds on birch, alder, sallow, hawthorn, sloe, etc., in May and June, and again in August and September. The moth is out in April and {275} early May. In 1905, a male occurred at Carnforth, Lancs., on June 8; the second generation appears in July and August. A third has been obtained in captivity, and the moths of this brood are similar to those of the second.

It has happened that the emergence of some moths of the second, or summer, form has been delayed until the following February, but these remained true to their race and did not a.s.sume the spring form.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 7.

EARLY THORN AT REST.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 8.

CATERPILLAR OF EARLY THORN.]

(Photos by H. Main.)

Generally distributed throughout England and Wales, and often abundant, especially in the south. In Scotland, Renton states that it is common in Roxburghs.h.i.+re, but there is only one brood; the range extends to Sutherlands.h.i.+re. Widely spread in Ireland and plentiful in some parts.

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LUNAR THORN (_Selenia lunaria_).

A female of this species is shown on Plate 112, Fig. 4; the male is usually more clouded with reddish. A second generation is sometimes raised in captivity, and the males of this brood (var. _delunaria_, Hubner) are somewhat paler, whilst the females incline to a yellowish tint. In Scotch specimens, the reddish markings are tinged with purple; and ab.

_sublunaria_, Stephens, from Derbys.h.i.+re, has the coloration very similar to that of the spring form of _S. tetralunaria_.

The caterpillar is figured on Plate 113, Fig. 2. The ground colour is usually some shade of brown, ranging from greyish or greenish to reddish, variegated with darker or paler clouds, and with traces of pale lines on the back. It occurs in the open from July to September, but may be reared both earlier and later in confinement. It feeds on sloe, plum, oak, birch, etc. The moth, in May and June, is sometimes seen on hedges or on the plants growing below; or it may be jarred from the branches of trees, when it is more apt to fall to the ground than to fly. Like others of this group it is fond of light, and is frequently attracted thereto at night. The species is rarely plentiful, and always more or less local, but it is widely distributed over the British Isles to the Orkneys.

PURPLE THORN (_Selenia tetralunaria_).

On Plate 112, Fig. 5 represents a specimen of the spring brood, and Fig. 6 one of the summer brood (var. _aestiva_, Staudinger). The ground colour of the typical form is whitish, sometimes tinged with grey, and sometimes with pinkish; the patch at the tip, and the basal two-thirds of the fore wings, also the basal half of the hind wings, are purplish brown, varying almost to blackish; or they may be rich red brown. Var. _aestiva_ is rarely whitish in ground colour, but this is frequently of a pinkish tinge, and the darker portions of the wings are brownish, inclining to olive; sometimes the general colour is ochreous brown with dark brown cross lines, and a rust-coloured lunule at the tips of the fore wings. The hybrid resulting from a female of this species that had paired with a male _bilunaria_ has been named _parvilunaria_, Bastel. At the time it is laid, the egg is pale olive green, but it changes to s.h.i.+ning reddish, and just before hatching to purplish black. (Plate 113, Fig. 1a.)

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 112.

1-3. EARLY THORN.

4. LUNAR THORN.

5, 6. PURPLE THORN.

7, 8. LILAC BEAUTY.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 113.

1, 1a. PURPLE THORN: _eggs and caterpillar_.

2, 2a. LUNAR THORN: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

3. AUGUST THORN: _caterpillar_.

{277} The caterpillar is reddish brown, mottled with darker brown, and with pale greyish. It feeds on birch, alder, oak, sallow, cherry, etc.: June and July, and again in the autumn. (Plate 113, Fig. 1.)

The moth is out in April and May, and the second generation emerges in July and August. A few specimens of a third generation have been reared in October, but this is unusual.

The species is more or less local, and rarely common, at least in the moth state; it occurs in all the southern counties of England, and a few specimens have been recorded from some of the midland and northern counties, and from South Wales. In Scotland, only noted from Rannoch, Perths.h.i.+re, and a specimen was reared on April 25, 1901, from a caterpillar found at Dunkeld, in the same county, the previous autumn.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and j.a.pan.

LILAC BEAUTY (_Hygrochroa_ (_Pericallia_) _syringaria_).

The s.e.xes of this species are shown on Plate 112, and it will be noted that the male (Fig. 7) is rather smaller and decidedly more brightly coloured than the female (Fig. 8). An older English name is "Richmond Beauty,"

Wilkes. Figures of the curiously shaped caterpillar and chrysalis will be found on Plate {278} 115, Figs. 2, 2a. The former is yellowish brown, variegated with reddish and violet; it feeds on honeysuckle, lilac, and privet, and may be beaten or searched for in May and early June, after hibernation. I have found it commonly on privet hedges in the Mill Hill district, Middles.e.x, but in woods, and especially in the New Forest, it is obtained from honeysuckle. In my experience, the privet-feeding caterpillars always produce larger moths than those reared from caterpillars fed on honeysuckle. The moth emerges in June and July, the former month chiefly in confinement, and from such early moths a second generation may be obtained in the autumn.

Although most frequent in the southern half of England and Wales, the range of the species extends to the northern counties; and single specimens have been recorded from Durham and Northumberland, but the species has not been noted in Scotland.

The distribution abroad extends to Amurland and j.a.pan.

SCALLOPED HAZEL (_Gonodontis bidentata_).

This species varies in ground colour, from pale whity brown through shades of grey brown, olive brown, ochreous, and dark brown to black; the blackish cross lines of the fore wings are generally edged with white, but the edging is sometimes absent, and occasionally it alone remains distinct; the central s.p.a.ce enclosed by the cross lines is often darker than the general colour, and not infrequently it is faintly reddish. Figs. 1 and 2, Plate 114, represent two of the more usual forms of the species. Fig. 3 is the black ab. _nigra_, Prout, which occurs on the mosses of Lancas.h.i.+re, and in Yorks.h.i.+re.

The yellowish and brown mottled, purplish caterpillar is figured on Plate 115, where also are shown the eggs (turquoise blue, changing to reddish brown), and the reddish brown chrysalis. The latter, which is twice the natural size, is from a photograph by Mr. H. Main. The caterpillar feeds on the foliage of oak, birch, sallow, hawthorn, sloe, plum, larch, etc.; it grows very slowly, and may be beaten out in most of the months from July to October. The moth is out in May and June, and sometimes earlier. Pretty generally distributed over the British Isles, but not noted in the Orkneys or Shetlands. The range abroad extends to Amurland and j.a.pan.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 114.

1-3. SCALLOPED HAZEL.

4, 5. FEATHERED THORN.

6, 7. SCALLOPED OAK.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 115.

1, 1a, 1b. SCALLOPED HAZEL: _eggs, caterpillar and chrysalis_.

2, 2a. LILAC BEAUTY: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

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FEATHERED THORN (_Himera_ (_Colotois_) _pennaria_).

A more or less typical but rather small male specimen is shown on Plate 114, Fig. 4, but the ground colour is frequently more tawny in tint, and sometimes it is much paler inclining to yellowish; the cross lines may be either wider apart, or closer together, and the inner one is often clouded with blackish; sometimes both lines become almost bandlike; the submarginal, usually interrupted, line is occasionally well defined. The female, often browner than the specimen depicted (Fig. 5) is frequently tinged with purple, and occasionally with pink.

The batch of eggs, as deposited, was photographed by Mr. Main. The egg is olive green with a ring of pale specks around the micropylar end. The caterpillar is slaty grey inclining to purplish, with a series of not clearly defined ochreous diamonds on the back and a row of ochreous dots on each side; the raised points on the last ring are tipped with reddish (Plate 116). It feeds on oak, birch, poplar, sallow, apple, hawthorn, sloe, etc. April to June. The moth is out in October and November, but is seldom noticed in the daytime; at night, the males are frequently seen at gas and electric light. The species is generally common in woodlands, especially as caterpillars, over the southern half of England and Wales, and occurs more or less frequently over the rest of the country, also in Scotland to Moray, and in Ireland. {280}

SCALLOPED OAK (_Crocallis elinguaria_).

Fig. 6 on Plate 114 shows the usual form of this species, in which there are blackish dots on the outer margins of all the wings. Fig. 7 depicts a form with the ground colour paler, and the outer marginal dots absent (ab.

_trapezaria_, Boisduval). The ground colour varies to almost whitish on the one hand and to reddish buff on the other; the cross lines on the fore wings are distinct as a rule, but may be faint, and occasionally are entirely missing; the central s.p.a.ce between the lines is most often brownish, sometimes tawny, but not infrequently this area is but little darker than the general colour. The blackish discal spot on the hind wings varies in size and somewhat in shape, but this and also the line beyond, are sometimes absent. Porritt (_List of Yorks.h.i.+re Lepidoptera_) mentions two gynandrous specimens. Eggs, pale grey, with darkish grey marking (Plate 116, Fig. 2b). The caterpillar, of which two figures from coloured drawings by Mr. A. Sich are given on Plate 116, Figs. 2, 2a, varies from ochreous grey to dark grey tinged with purple; the front rings are often paler above, and the back has diamond-shaped marks upon it; the elevation on the last ring is edged with black. It feeds on the leaves of most trees and bushes during the spring. The moth is out in July and August, sometimes earlier. A pretty generally distributed species throughout the British Isles, but so far it has not been noted from the Hebrides, Orkneys, or Shetland.

Abroad, the range extends to East Siberia.