_THE CABINET_--_ARRANGEMENT OF SPECIMENS_
The selection of a cabinet or other storehouse for the rapidly
increasing specimens of insect forms is often a matter of no small
difficulty to a youthful entomologist. Indeed, there are very many
points of considerable importance to be considered before any final
decision is made. Freedom from dust, the exclusion of pests, the
convenience of the collector, the depth of his pocket, and the general
appearance of the storehouse must be considered, and it is impossible,
therefore, to describe a form that is equally suitable to all.
If it is absolutely necessary that the cabinet (or its substitute) be of
a very inexpensive character, and if, at the same time, the collector
has not the mechanical skill necessary for its construction, then
perhaps the best thing he can do is to procure a number of shallow
(about an inch and a half deep) cardboard, glass-topped boxes, such as
are to be obtained at drapers' shops. For the sake of uniformity and
convenience in packing, have them all of one size. Glue in small slices
of cork just where the insects are to be pinned, and see that each box
is supplied with either camphor or naphthaline. All the boxes may be
packed in a cupboard or in a case made specially to contain them; and a
label on the front of each will enable you to select any one when
required without disturbing the others.
It may be mentioned here that glass is not necessary, though it is
certainly convenient at times, especially when you are exhibiting your
specimens to admiring non-entomological friends, who have almost always
a most alarming way of bringing the tip of the first finger dangerously
near as they are pointing out their favourite colours. 'Isn't _that_ one
a beauty?' is a common remark, and therewith off snaps a wing of one of
your choicest insects. When glass is used, however, see that the
specimens are excluded from light, or the colours will soon lose their
natural brilliancy.
Anyone who has a set of carpenter's tools and the ability to use them
well will be able to construct for himself either a set of store boxes
or a cabinet of many drawers in which to keep his natural treasures. In
this case a few considerations are necessary before deciding on the form
which the storehouse is to take.
A cabinet, if nicely made, forms a very sightly article of furniture;
and, if space can be found for it, is the best and most convenient
receptacle. One of about twelve to twenty drawers will be quite
sufficient for a time; and the few following hints and suggestions may
be useful.
The wood used should be well seasoned, and free from resin. The drawers
should fit well, and slide without the least danger of shaking. Each one
should be lined with sheet cork, about one-eighth of an inch thick,
glued to the bottom, nicely levelled with sand paper, and then covered
with thin, pure white paper, laid on with thin paste. It is also
advisable to cover each with glass, inclosed in a light wood frame that
fits so closely as to prevent the intrusion of mites.
The drawers may be arranged in a single vertical tier if the cabinet is
to stand on the floor, or in two tiers if it is to be shorter for
placing on the top of another piece of furniture; and glass doors,
fastened by a lock and key, may be made to cover the front if such are
desired as a matter of fancy, or as a precaution against the meddlesome
habits of juvenile fingers.
Store boxes are sometimes chosen in preference to cabinets because they
are more portable, and because they can be arranged on shelves--an
important consideration when floor space is not available.
These boxes should be cork-lined and glazed like the cabinet drawers;
and if they are made in two equal portions, lined with cork on both
sides, and closing up like a book, they may be arranged on shelves like
books, in which position they will collect but little dust.
Both store boxes and cabinets are always kept in stock by the dealers,
the former ranging from a few shillings each, and the latter from
fifteen shillings to a guinea per drawer. Knowing this, you can decide
for yourself between the two alternatives--making and purchasing.
We have now to consider the manner in which our specimens should be
arranged and labelled.
The table forming Appendix I contains the names of _all_ the British
butterflies and larger moths, and shows their division into _Sections_,
_Tribes_, _Families_, and _Genera_. This table is the result of most
careful study on the part of leading entomologists, and shows how, in
their opinion, the insects can best be arranged to show their relation
to one another; and you cannot do better than adopt the same order in
your collection.
RHOPALOCERA
PAPILIONIDAE _Euchlo[:e]_ NYMPHALIDAE
_Papilio_ O O O _Argynnis_
O O O O O
O O O O O
O O O O O
Machaon Rapae Cardamines Edusa O
Selene
PIERIDAE O _Leucophasia_ O
_Aporia_ O O O O
O O O v. Helice O
O O Sinapis O
Crataegi Napi _Gonopteryx_ O
_Colias_ O Euphrosyne
_Pieris_ O O O
O O O O O
O Daplidice O O Latona
O O Rhamni
O Hyale
Brassicae
Complete label lists can be purchased, printed on one side of the paper
only. These, when cut up, supply you with neat labels for your
specimens.
If you intend to study the British _Lepidoptera_ as completely as
possible, you may as well start at once with a sufficiently extensive
cabinet, and arrange all the labels of your list before you introduce
the insects. You will thus have a place provided ready for each specimen
as you acquire it, and the introduction of species obtained later on
will not compel you to be continually moving and rearranging the
drawers.
Probably the number of blank spaces will at first suggest an almost
hopeless task, but a few years of careful searching and rearing will
give you heart to continue your interesting work.
Arrange all the insects in perpendicular rows. Put the names of each
section, tribe, family, and genus _at the head_ of their respective
divisions, and the names of the species below each insect or series of
insects. The opposite plan, in which the circles represent the insects
themselves, will make this clear.
Three or four specimens of each species are generally sufficient, except
where variations in colouring are to be exhibited. Wherever differences
exist in the form or markings of the sexes, both should appear; and one
specimen of each species should be pinned so as to exhibit the under
side.
Finally, each drawer or box should have a neat label _outside_ giving
the name or names of the divisions of insects that are represented
within. This will enable you to find anything you may require without
the necessity of opening drawer after drawer or box after box.
PART III
BRITISH BUTTERFLIES
We have now treated in detail of the changes through which butterflies
and moths have to pass, and have studied the methods by which we may
obtain and preserve the insects in their different stages. I shall now
give such a brief description of individual species as will enable the
reader to recognise them readily. We will begin with the butterflies.
CHAPTER XII
_THE SWALLOW-TAIL AND THE 'WHITES'_
Family--PAPILIONIDAE
_The Swallow-tail_ (_Papilio Machaon_)
Our first family (_Papilionidae_) contains only one British species--the
beautiful Swallow-tail (_Papilio Machaon_), distinguished at once from
all other British butterflies by its superior size and the 'tails'
projecting from the hind margin of the hind wings.
This beautiful insect is figured on Plate I, where its bold black
markings on a yellow ground are so conspicuous as to render a written
description superfluous. Attention may be called, however, to the yellow
scales that dot the dark bands and blotches, making them look as if they
had been powdered; also to the blue clouds that relieve the black bands
of the hind wings, and the round reddish orange spot at the anal angle
of each of the same wings.
It appears that this butterfly was once widely distributed throughout
England, having been recorded as common in various counties, and has
also been taken in Scotland and Ireland; but it is now almost
exclusively confined to the fens of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire,
and Norfolk. Occasionally we hear of the capture of single specimens
quite outside these localities, sometimes even in most unlikely spots,
where its food plant does not abound. But we know that _Machaon_ is a
general favourite with entomologists, and that it is sent in the pupal
state, by post, to all parts of the kingdom; so that the occasional
capture of the insect far beyond the borders of its haunts is probably
the outcome of an escape from prison, or of the tender-heartedness of
some lover of nature who could not bear to see such a beautiful creature
deprived of its short but joyous, sunny flight.
You cannot hope to see this splendid butterfly on the wing unless you
visit its haunts during its season--May to August; but the pupae may be
purchased for a few pence each from most of the entomological dealers;
and if you obtain a few of these and watch them closely, you may be
fortunate enough to see the perfect insect emerge from its case, and
witness the gradual expansion of its beautiful wings.
The pupa (Plate VIII, fig. 7) itself is a most beautiful object. Its
colour is a pale green, and it is fixed to its support by the tail, and
further secured by a very strong silk band.
The larva (Plate VIII, fig. 1), too, is exceedingly beautiful. Its
ground colour is a lovely green, and twelve velvety black rings mark the
divisions between the segments. Between these are also black bars, all
spotted with bright orange except the one on the second segment.
A remarkable feature of this larva is the possession of a forked,
Y-shaped 'horn,' that is projected from the back, just behind the head,
when the creature is alarmed. If it is gently pressed or irritated in
any way, this horn is thrust out just as if it were an important weapon
of defence. And perhaps it is, for it is the source of a powerful odour
of fennel--one of the food plants of the caterpillar--that may possibly
prove objectionable to some of its numerous enemies.
The food plants of _Machaon_ are the milk parsley or hog's fennel
(_Peucedanum palustre_), cow-parsnip (_Heracleum sphondylium_), and the
wild angelica (_Angelica sylvestris_); but in confinement it will also
partake of rue and carrot leaves.
The caterpillar of this species may be found in the fens during the
greater part of the summer. It turns to a chrysalis in the autumn, and
remains in this state throughout the winter, attached to the stems of
reeds in the vicinity of its food plants. The perfect insect is first
seen in May, and is more or less abundant from this time to the month of
August.
Family--PIERIDAE
This family, though known commonly as the 'Whites,' contains four
British species that display beautiful tints of bright yellow or orange.
In many respects the _Pieridae_ resemble the last species. Thus the
perfect insects have six fully developed legs; the caterpillars are
devoid of bristles or spines; and the chrysalides are attached by means
of silky webs at the 'tails,' and strong cords of the same material
round the middle.
All the larvae are also cylindrical or wormlike in shape; and their skins
are either quite smooth, or are covered with very short and fine hairs,
that sometimes impart a soft, velvety appearance.
The members of this family are remarkable for their partiality for
certain of our cultivated plants and trees; and are, in some cases, so
abundant and so voracious, that they are exceedingly destructive to
certain crops.
_The Black-veined White_ (_Aporia Crataegi_)
This butterfly may now be regarded as one of our rarities. At one time
it was rather abundant in certain localities in England, among which may
be mentioned the neighbourhoods of Cardiff and Stroud, also parts of
Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Huntingdonshire, and the Isle of Thanet; but it
is to be feared that this species is nearly or quite extinct in this
country. It is well, however, not to give up the search for it, and if
you happen to be in one of its favoured localities of former days, you
might net all the doubtful 'Whites' of large size that arouse your
suspicions, liberating them again if, on inspection, they do not answer
to the description of the species 'wanted.' This course becomes
absolutely necessary, since the Black-veined White is hardly to be
distinguished from the Common Large White while on the wing.
If you examine a number of British butterflies you will observe that in
nearly all species the wings are bordered by a fringe of hair, more or
less distinct. But the case is different with _Crataegi_. Here they are
bordered by a black nervure, without any trace of fringe, thus giving an
amount of rigidity to the edges (see Plate I, fig. 2).
The wing rays, or nervures, are very distinct--a feature that gave rise
to the popular name of the butterfly. In the male they are quite or
nearly black, but those of the fore wings of the female are decidedly
brown in colour. At the terminations of the wing rays there are
triangular patches of dark scales, the bases of which unite on the outer
margins of the wings.
Another peculiar feature of this insect is the scanty distribution of
scales on the wings. This is particularly so in the case of the female,
whose wings are semi-transparent in consequence.
The butterfly is on the wing during June and July, at which time its
eggs are laid on the hawthorn (_Crataegus Oxyacantha_) or on fruit
trees--apple, pear and plum.
A vigorous search of these trees in the proper localities _may_ reveal
to you a nest of the gregarious larvae, all resting under the cover of a
common web of silk. These remain thus under their silken tent throughout
the hottest hours of the day, and venture out to feed only during the
early morning and in the evening.
When the leaves begin to fall in the autumn, they construct a more
substantial web to protect themselves from the dangers of the winter,
and in this they hybernate till the buds burst in the following spring.
They now venture out, at first during the mildest days only, and feed
voraciously on the young leaves, returning to their homes to rest. Soon,
however, they gradually lose their social tendencies, till at last, when
about half or three-quarters fed, they become quite solitary in their
habits.
In May they are fully grown, and change to the chrysalis state on the
twigs of their food trees.
The larva is black above, with two reddish stripes. The sides and under
surface are grey, the former being relieved by black spiracles.
The pupa (page 45) is greenish or yellowish white, striped with bright
yellow, and spotted with black.
It is probable that the reader will never meet with this insect in any
of its stages. But, though it may have left us, it is still very
abundant on the Continent, where it does great damage to fruit trees;
and the foreign pupae may be purchased of English dealers.
_The Large White_ (_Pieris Brassicae_)
We pass now from one of the rarest to one of the most abundant of
British butterflies. Everybody has seen the 'Large White,' though we
doubt whether everybody knows that this insect is not of the same
species as the two other very common 'Whites.' The three--Large, Small,
and Green-veined--are so much alike in general colour and markings, and
so similar in their habits and in the selection of their food plants,
that the non-entomological, not knowing that insects do not grow in
their perfect state, may perhaps regard the larger and the smaller as
older and younger members of the same species. But no--they are three
distinct species, exhibiting to a careful observer many important marks
by which each may be known from the other two.
On Plate I (fig. 3) will be seen a picture of the female _Brassicae_, in
which the following markings are depicted: On each fore wing--a blotch
at the tip, a round spot near the centre, another round one nearer the
inner margin, and a tapering spot on the inner margin with its point
toward the base of the wing. On the hind wings there is only one spot,
situated near the middle of the costal margin.
The male may be readily distinguished by the absence of the black
markings on the fore wings, with the exception of those at the tips. He
is also a trifle smaller than his mate.
This butterfly is double-brooded. The first brood appears in April and
May, the second in July and August; and the former--the spring
brood--which emerges from the chrysalides that have hybernated during
the winter, have _grey_ rather than black tips to the front wings.
The ova of _Brassicae_ may be found on the leaves of cabbages in every
kitchen garden, also on the nasturtium, during May and July. They are
pretty objects (see fig. 10), something like little bottles or
sculptured vases standing on end, and are arranged either singly or in
little groups.
As soon as the young larvae are out--from ten to fifteen days after the
eggs are deposited--having devoured their shells, they start feeding on
the selfsame spot, and afterwards wander about, dealing out destruction
as they go, till little remains of their food plant save the mere stumps
and skeletons of the leaves.
The ground colour of the caterpillar is bluish green. It has a narrow
yellow stripe down the middle of the back, and two similar but wider
stripes along the sides; and the surface of the body is rendered
somewhat rough by a number of small black warty projections, from each
of which arises a short hair.
When fully grown, it creeps to some neighbouring wall or fence, up which
it climbs till it reaches a sheltering ledge. Here it constructs its
web and silken cord as already described (page 36), and then changes to
a bluish-white chrysalis, dotted with black. The butterflies of the
summer brood emerge shortly after, but the chrysalides of the next brood
hybernate till the following spring.
It is remarkable that we are so plagued with 'Whites' seeing that they
have so many enemies. Many of the insect-feeding birds commit fearful
havoc among their larvae, and often chase the perfect insects on the
wing, but perhaps their greatest enemy is the ichneumon fly.
Look under the ledges of a wall of any kitchen garden, and you will see
little clusters of oval bodies of a bright yellow colour. Most gardeners
know that these are in some way or other connected with the caterpillars
that do so much damage to their vegetables. They are often considered to
be eggs laid by the larvae, and are consequently killed out of pure
revenge, or with a desire to save the crops from the future marauders.
No greater mistake could be made. These yellow bodies are the silken
cocoons of the caterpillar's own foes. They contain the pupae of the
little flies whose larvae have lived within the body of an unfortunate
grub, and, having flourished to perfection at the expense of their host,
left its almost empty and nearly lifeless carcase to die and drop to the
ground just at the time when it ought to be working out its final
changes. Often you may see the dying grub beside the cluster of cocoons
just constructed by its deadly enemies. Should you wish to test the
extent of the destructive work of these busy flies, go into your garden
and collect a number of larvae, and endeavour to rear them under cover.
The probability is that only a small proportion will ever reach the
final state, the others having been fatally 'stung' before you took
them.
_The Small White_ (_P. Rapae_)
This butterfly closely resembles the last species except in point of
size. The male, represented on Plate I (fig. 4), has a dark grey blotch
at the tip of each fore wing, a round spot of the same colour beyond the
centre of that wing, and another on the costal margin of the hind wing.
The female may be distinguished by an additional spot near the anal
angle of the fore wing.
Although this and the two other common butterflies (_Brassicae_ and
_Napi_) that frequent our kitchen gardens are usually spoken of as
'Whites,' a glance at a few specimens will show that they are not really
white at all, but exhibit delicate shades of cream and yellow, inclining
sometimes to buff. The under surfaces are particularly noticeable in
this respect, for here the hind wings and the tips of the fore wings
display a very rich yellow.
The species we are now considering is also very variable both in its
ground colour and the markings of the wings. The former is in some cases
a really brilliant yellow; and the latter are in some cases entirely
wanting.
_Rapae_ is double-brooded, the first brood appearing in April and May,
and the other in July and August.
During these months the eggs may be seen in plenty on its numerous food
plants, which include the cabbages and horse-radish of our gardens, also
water-cress (_Nasturtium officinale_), rape (_Brassica Napus_), wild
mustard (_B. Sinapis_), wild mignonette (_Reseda lutea_), and nasturtium
(_Tropaeolum majus_).
The eggs are conical in form--something like a sugar loaf, with ridges
running from apex to base, and very delicate lines from ridge to ridge
transversely.
The young larvae often make their first meal of the shell, and then
attack the food plant so voraciously that they are fully grown in about
three or four weeks. In colour they are of a beautiful glaucous green,
hardly distinguishable at times from the leaves on which they rest. A
yellow stripe runs along the middle of the back, and lines of yellow
spots adorn the sides; and the whole body is covered with very short
hairs, each one arising from a minute warty projection.
The pupae may be found during the same seasons and in the same situations
as those of _Brassicae_. They are very variable in colour. Some are of a
very pale grey or putty colour, some are decidedly brown, and others of
a greenish tinge; and they are often spotted and striped with dark grey
or black.
_The Green-veined White_ (_P. Napi_)
A non-observant beginner at entomological work may easily mistake this
insect for the last species, for the ground colour and markings are very
similar, even to the features by which the sexes are distinguished from
each other; but an inspection of the under surface will give a ready
means of identification, for here the wing rays are bordered with black
scales which, by contrast with the rich yellow around them, often
appear of a greenish hue. The butterfly receives its popular name from
this circumstance.
A careful observer, however, will readily find distinguishing marks on
the upper side, for here also the chief 'veins' are more or less
accompanied with black scales, especially the extremities of those of
the fore wings, where little triangular blotches are often distinctly
formed; and the dark veining of the under surface of the hind wings
frequently shows through. The under side of this insect is shown on
Plate I (fig. 5).
This butterfly is not so abundant as the two preceding, but is widely
distributed throughout England, and is in most parts decidedly
plentiful.
The first brood (for it also is double-brooded) appears during April and
May, and the second in July and August.
The eggs are very similar to those of _Rapae_, resembling ribbed and
striated sugar loaves; and the larvae are of the same rich glaucous
green, but may be identified by the black spiracles surrounded by yellow
rings. In our gardens we may find both eggs and larvae on mignonette and
horse-radish; the other food plants of this species include the
water-cress (_Nasturtium officinale_), winter cress (_Barbarea
vulgaris_), rape (_Brassica Napus_), cuckoo-flower (_Cardamine
pratensis_), and Jack-by-the-hedge (_Sisymbrium Alliaria_).
The pupa is greenish, and marked with small black dots.
_The Bath or Green-chequered White_ (_P. Daplidice_)
There is no doubt that many butterflies migrate from one country to
another across the seas; and as the Bath White is very common on the
other side of the Channel, and has been taken very sparingly in England
almost exclusively in the south-east, it is highly probable that the
majority of those that have been captured here are specimens that have
taken a voluntary trip across the water, or have been blown over during
rough weather.
This butterfly is one of our greatest rarities, and the capture of a
specimen in England is an event that must necessarily be recorded in our
entomological literature. It seems that _Daplidice_ has bred in England,
for its caterpillars have been found at large on one or two occasions,
so I will give a short description of the various stages of the insect,
with a hope that some of my readers may be fortunate enough to meet with
it.
The female butterfly is shown on Plate I, fig. 6. From this it will be
observed that each of the fore wings is tipped with a rather large
smoky-black blotch, in which are four white spots. A double spot of the
same colour also occupies a place near the centre of the wing, and
another smaller and round one lies near the anal angle. The hind wings
are clouded with grey, and bordered along the hind margin with distinct
smoky-black spots.
The male may be distinguished from the female by the absence of the spot
near the anal angle of the fore wings, and of all the clouds and spots
of the hind wings. Nevertheless the latter have a decidedly clouded
appearance, but this is due to the markings of the under surface showing
through them.
The under side of both sexes is most beautifully marked--the fore wings
resembling the upper sides, but the hind pair chequered with a beautiful
soft green on a pale yellow ground.
The eggs of this insect are deposited during April and May, and again in
August or September--for it is, like the other 'Whites,'
double-brooded--on two species of Wild Mignonette (_Reseda lutea_ and
_R. luteola_).
[Illustration: FIG. 65.--THE BATH WHITE--UNDER SIDE.]
The caterpillars, which are of a bluish colour, with two yellow stripes
down the back, and two others along the sides, may be _looked_ for in
June and September. Those of the first brood only have been taken in
this country, while the others on the Continent change to the chrysalis
in the autumn, and hybernate in this state throughout the winter.
The chrysalis is of a brownish colour, and closely resembles that of the
Small White in form.
Those in search of this rare British insect should wander along the
south-east coast, and net all the doubtful slow-flying small Whites
(_Daplidice_ is rather slow and heavy on the wing), and their
perseverance _may_ be rewarded with a prize that will ever be a reminder
of a glorious catch and an eventful day. If you fail in this, and most
probably you will, rather than remain a stranger to this beautiful and
interesting insect, fill up the blank in your cabinet with a foreign
specimen, which can be obtained at any time for a few pence, but be
careful to label it 'not British,' in order that your brother
collectors may not be deceived, or be led to make any unnecessary
inquiries.
_The Orange Tip_ (_Euchlo[:e] Cardamines_)
No one could possibly mistake the male of this species for any other
British butterfly, the popular name alone giving quite sufficient
information for its identification, but the female Orange Tip is _not_
tipped with orange, and its markings, both above and beneath, resemble
those of _Daplidice_ so nearly that the same written description might
apply almost equally well to both.
On Plate I (fig. 7) is shown the upper side of the male, and just
opposite it (fig. 8) the under surface of the same. The female is
usually a little larger than her mate, and is marked similarly on both
sides except that the bright orange blotch is entirely wanting. She may
always be distinguished from _Daplidice_ by the smaller size of the
white spots that break the dark blotch at the tip of the fore wing; also
by the very small size of the dark spot in the centre of the same wing.
The green chequerings of the under side of the hind wings are also more
sharply defined, and the insect is generally of a lighter build.
Like many other butterflies, the Orange Tip is subject to variations in
colouring. Sometimes a pale but bright yellow takes the place of the
white ground, and the orange blotch of the male is occasionally present
on the upper or lower surface only.
_Cardamines_ is a single-brooded insect, and is essentially a creature
of the spring, at which time it may be found in abundance in lanes,
meadows, and clearings in woods throughout the British Isles. Its flight
is so light and airy that even the female may easily be distinguished
from other Whites when on the wing, while the brilliant orange of the
male, intensified by the bright rays of the spring sun, may be
identified at some considerable distance.
The food plants of _Cardamines_ include the cuckoo-flower (_Cardamine
pratensis_) and the bitter cress (_C. impatiens_), after which the
insect is named, also water-cress (_Nasturtium officinale_), winter
cress (_Barbarea vulgaris_), rock cress (_Arabis perfoliata_), hedge
mustard (_Sisymbrium officinale_), Jack-by-the-hedge (_S. Alliaria_),
wild mustard (_Brassica Sinapis_), &c., and the eggs of the butterfly
may be found on these during May and June.
The caterpillar (Plate VIII, fig. 2) is green, with a white stripe on
each side, and its body is covered with short hair. In July it is fully
grown, and ascends a stem of the food plant to prepare itself for its
long winter sleep.
The chrysalis (Plate VIII, fig. 8) is a very peculiar object. Both ends
are much elongated and sharply pointed; and the foremost extremity
stands out at an angle with the stem to which it is attached.
This butterfly should be looked for during April and May, but in mild
seasons it may often be met with in March.
_The Wood White_ (_Leucophasia Sinapis_)
The distinguishing feature of this butterfly (see Plate II, fig. 1) is
the extreme lightness and delicacy of its build. Its wings are narrow,
and rounded at the tips; and the only mark to relieve the white ground
of the upper side is a squarish blotch at the tip of the fore wing, and
even this is either very indistinct or entirely absent in the female.
The under surface is clouded with a pale greenish tint.
This insect may be looked for in May and again in August, in paths and
clearings in woods, where it moves along with a slow but steady flight,
hardly ever seeming to rest for a moment. It is not by any means a
common butterfly, but is very widely distributed, and sometimes appears
in considerable numbers in certain favoured spots. Among the localities
recorded may be mentioned Torquay, Exeter, Plymouth, South Dorset, New
Forest, Reading, Darent Woods, Morecambe Bay, Haslemere, Windermere, &c.
The caterpillar is of a beautiful green colour, and is covered with
short whitish hairs. A darker green stripe runs down the middle of the
back, and a bright yellow stripe along each side. Its food plants are
the tufted vetch (_Vicia Cracca_), bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus
corniculatus_ and _L. pilosus_), bitter vetch (_Lathyrus tuberosus_),
and the everlasting pea (_L. sylvestris_).
The chrysalis is a very beautiful object. Its colour is a delicate
green, tinged with pink; and the wing-cases project in beautiful curves
much beyond the general surface.
_The Pale Clouded Yellow_ (_Colias Hyale_)
The ground colour of this butterfly (Plate II, fig. 2) is very variable.
It is usually a sulphury yellow, and on this account the insect is
commonly known as the Clouded Brimstone; but sometimes the yellow is
exceedingly pale--almost white--and tinged with green.
A very large black blotch, broken by indefinite patches of the ground
colour, fills up the tip of each fore wing, and extends to the anal
angle, becoming narrower as it approaches this point. A black oval spot
lies just above the middle of this wing.
The hind wings are bordered with black, and a conspicuous spot of deep
yellow lies very near the centre of each.
The antennae are rather short, compared with those of the preceding
members of this family, and are distinguished by their reddish-brown
colour.
The male and female of this species are similarly marked, but the ground
colour of the latter is commonly paler.
This is not by any means a very common butterfly with us, though it is
very plentiful on the other side of the Channel; but it has a way of
taking us by surprise in certain seasons, and then almost neglecting us
for several years together.
Its head quarters are certainly the coasts of Kent and Sussex, but it
has been taken in considerable numbers as far west as Cornwall, and also
to a less extent in some of the midland and northern counties. It is
particularly fond of lucerne and clover fields, especially those that
are situated close to the sea cliffs; and often it may be seen flying
over the beach, sometimes even flitting over the breakers away from land
till at last it disappears in the distance. This maritime tendency of
_Hyale_ makes it probable that a large number of those that are seen on
our south-east coasts have made a passage across the narrow end of the
Channel.
The eggs are laid in spring, by females that have hybernated throughout
the winter, on various leguminous plants, including the lucerne
(_Medicago sativa_), black medick (_M. lupulina_), purple and Dutch
clovers (_Trifolium pratense_ and _T. repens_), and the bird's-foot
trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_), and on these plants you may search for
the larva, though it can scarcely be said that you are likely to find
it.
The caterpillar is green, with black dots, and a yellowish stripe on
each side. When fully grown it ascends a stem of its food plant and
changes to a green chrysalis with yellow stripes.
_Hyale_ is single-brooded in England, although two broods regularly
appear on the Continent. In our country the perfect insects emerge
during July and August. Many of these die before the approach of winter;
but, as we have already observed, some hybernate and deposit their eggs
in the following spring.
_The Clouded Yellow_ (_Colias Edusa_)
Not only are this and the last species similarly named, but a glance at
the figures will show that they much resemble each other in appearance;
and we shall also learn presently that in their habits and life history
they have much in common.
The male _Edusa_ is shown on Plate II (fig. 3), and when we compare it
with its relative on the opposite side, we are at once struck with the
superior richness of the brilliant orange or saffron of the ground
colour. The black border of both fore and hind wings is also denser,
wider, and more extensive. The whole of the yellow area of the hind
wings is dusted more or less with black scales, with the exception of a
round central spot of deep orange, corresponding with the orange spots
on the hind wings of _Hyale_.
The female, which is shown in the accompanying woodcut, is generally
larger than the male, and is further distinguished by the very pale
yellow spots that break the black border of both pairs of wings.
[Illustration: FIG. 66.--THE CLOUDED YELLOW--FEMALE.]
_Edusa_ further resembles _Hyale_ in the reddish colour of the antennae;
and, in both the species, the red legs form a pleasing contrast with the
yellow furry surface of the under side of the thorax.
There is a variety of the female of this butterfly, in which the ground
colour is a _very pale_ yellow, almost white. The hind wings are more
thickly dusted with black scales than in the normal insect, and the
orange spots of these wings show up much more conspicuously from the
contrast with their surroundings.
It is usual to apply distinct names to constant varieties of
species--names that are to be added to the ordinary title. In this
particular case the distinguishing name is _Helice_, so that we should
speak of the variety of _Edusa_ above mentioned as:
_Colias Edusa_, var. _Helice_
Like _Hyale_, _Edusa_ is particularly capricious in its appearance. In
certain summers it absolutely swarms in favourite localities, while
during the intervals between such remarkable appearances--usually
several years--it is positively scarce. The last favoured season was the
summer of '92, during which (from the beginning of August to the end of
the summer) dozens might easily have been caught in an hour or two; in
fact, so plentiful were they in many places, that they were continuously
in sight, often several at one time.
Those in search of this insect should repair to the south coast,
especially the south-east, and where lucerne and clover fields are in
flower. It has very decided maritime tendencies, and may often be seen
flying over the cliffs and beaches, and even skipping over the breakers;
but, at the same time, it is more or less plentiful in many inland
districts. It has been taken in many parts of Ireland and Scotland,
particularly along the southern coasts of these countries; but its head
quarters are undoubtedly the southern cliffs of England, from Cornwall
to Kent, and also the hilly inland districts of the south-eastern
counties.
_Edusa_ catching is very lively sport, and is likely to prove sufficient
for any lover of outdoor exercise under a scorching sun; for this
butterfly is not only very powerful on the wing, but its flights are
usually long, so that a good run is often absolutely necessary in order
to capture it. On very hilly ground, such as _Edusa_ loves, chase is
often hopeless, and then it is necessary to resort to stratagem. In such
a case the best plan is to make a very cautious approach when the insect
has been observed to settle, and then secure it with a sudden
down-stroke of the net.
The eggs are laid during May and June by a few females that have
survived the winter.
The caterpillar may be found in June and July on its food plants, the
chief of which are the bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_), and
the purple and Dutch clovers (_Trifolium pratense_ and _T. repens_). Its
colour is grass-green, and it is marked with a narrow whitish stripe on
each side, which is broken by the yellow of the spiracles.
The chrysalis is of a pale yellowish green, and is marked with yellow
stripes and reddish-brown dots.
_The Brimstone_ (_Gonopteryx Rhamni_)
This, the last member of the present family, is remarkable for the
graceful outline of its wings. The costal margins of the fore pair are
most beautifully arched, and both pairs are sharply angled on the hind
margins. This latter characteristic is quite unique among British
butterflies, though we shall presently meet with instances of angular
projections on hind wings only.
The ground colour of the male (Plate II, fig. 4) is a rich sulphury
yellow, with a greenish tinge. That of the female is a very pale
greenish yellow. The only conspicuous markings are small saffron spots,
one near the centre of each wing. The antennae are red, short, and
beautifully curved; but, unlike the two preceding species, the legs are
almost white.
The eggs of this butterfly are laid in April on the two species of
buckthorn (_Rhamnus catharticus_ and _R. Frangula_) by the females that
have successfully weathered the winter. They are of a bright yellow
colour, and are usually hatched in about a fortnight.
The body of the caterpillar is green, and it is thickly covered with
little black wart-like projections. A pale stripe also runs along each
side. During May and June it may be found on its food plants, and toward
the end of the latter month it attaches itself by a silken carpet and
belt to the under side of one of the leaves.
The chrysalis is of a very peculiar shape, the body being curved, and
the wing cases standing out prominently beyond the general surface. Its
colour is a bright apple green marked with yellow, and it is so
transparent that certain of the structures can be seen through its skin.
The perfect insect emerges in about three weeks after the change to the
chrysalis; and may be looked for from July to the end of the summer.
This period may be regarded as the best time in which to hunt for
_Rhamni_, but it is to be noted that this butterfly makes its appearance
during all months of the year, even though it is single-brooded.
A large number seem to hybernate, and their winter sleep is so light
that the welcome rays of the sun on a mild day, even during the bleak
months of November to February, will often call them out from their
hiding places. Then, as a rule, the hybernating butterflies do not live
long after depositing their eggs for the future brood; but the Brimstone
often lives on till its offspring have themselves attained the perfect
state, so that it is possible to capture the insects of two different
years both on the same day. In such a case it is generally easy to
distinguish between the two, for the newly emerged specimens are
beautifully bright and fresh in colour, while those of the previous year
are more or less faded and worn, their wings being often
semi-transparent through the loss of scales, and frequently disfigured
by the stains of mildew.
CHAPTER XIII
_THE FRITILLARIES, VANESSAS, AND THE PURPLE EMPEROR_
Family--NYMPHALIDAE
We now come to a rather large family, which contains some of our largest
and most brilliant butterflies. Some of them display the most gaudy
colours, and others exhibit patches of a beautiful metallic lustre.
If you were to see all the members of this family side by side, they
might strike you as being so varied in their appearance that you would
wonder why they are all placed in one family group. But, were you to
see, in addition to the perfect insects, all their larvae and
chrysalides, the reason would be made clear at once, for these earlier
stages are seen to resemble each other in certain points at the very
first glance. The former are all provided with peculiar spines, and the
latter are all more or less angular, and are all suspended to a silken
carpet by means of hooks at the tip of the abdomen, and have no belt as
we have observed in the case of the _Pieridae_.
The perfect insects, too, although so varied in colouring, are alike in
that they have only four walking legs, the first pair being so
imperfectly developed as to be useless for this purpose.
This family includes the Fritillaries and the Vanessas.
_The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary_ (_Argynnis Selene_)
The interesting group of butterflies known as the Fritillaries vary
considerably in size, but are remarkably uniform in the ground colour of
the wings, which, in all cases, is a rich golden or sienna brown; and
this ground is chequered with darker colours in such a manner as to
remind one of the petals of the wild flower known as the Snake's Head
or Fritillary--hence the popular name of the group.
The Small Pearl-bordered, our first example, is one of the lesser
Fritillaries, and is shown in Plate II (fig. 5).
The arrangement of the black markings on the upper surface will be
readily made out from the coloured plate, but the pattern of the under
side will require a little special notice, for it is here, as with the
other Fritillaries, that we find the chief marks by which we identify
the species. On this side (fig. 67) the fore wings are light orange
brown, with a patch of darker brown near the tips, and spotted with a
dull black. The hind wings have the light brown displaced by a very warm
chestnut tint, some yellow, and bright silvery spots.
[Illustration: FIG. 67.--THE SMALL PEARL-BORDERED FRITILLARY--UNDER
SIDE.]
Seven silvery spots of triangular form border the hind margin. A large
one occupies the centre of the wing, and ten others are somewhat
irregularly scattered over other parts of the wing--five between the
central spot and the hind margin, and five between it and the costa.
All the spots on these wings, whether yellow, chestnut, or silver, are
bordered by a narrow black line.
_Selene_ is not a very abundant butterfly, but is widely distributed in
England, and is also found in parts of Scotland. Its favourite resorts
are clearings in woods, especially those of Kent and other southern
counties.
It appears in May and June, in which latter month it deposits its eggs
on the dog violet (_Viola canina_).
The caterpillar is not fully grown at the end of the summer, and
hybernates during the winter among the roots of its food plant. In the
following spring it emerges again, and feeds till May, when it changes
to the chrysalis on a stem. It is less than an inch long when fully
grown, and is of a dark-brown colour. Six rows of hairy spines are
arranged longitudinally on its body.
The chrysalis is greyish brown, and has a number of very short
projections corresponding with the spines of the caterpillar.
_The Pearl-bordered Fritillary_ (_Argynnis Euphrosyne_)
There is very little difference in the size of this and that of the last
species, but _Euphrosyne_ (Plate II, fig. 6) is generally a trifle
larger. The two butterflies are also very similar in appearance; indeed,
they are so much alike on the upper side that it is impossible to decide
on the name of either without an examination of the under surface.
_Euphrosyne_ has a border of seven triangular silver spots on each hind
wing, exactly corresponding with those of _Selene_. It has also the
large central spot of silver. But, beside these, there is _only one_
other, and that is situated in the basal angle. Thus there are only nine
silvery or pearly spots on each hind wing of _Euphrosyne_, while there
are seventeen on _Selene_. This will form a ready means of
distinguishing between the two species.
[Illustration: FIG. 68.--THE PEARL-BORDERED FRITILLARY--UNDER SIDE.]
The seasons and localities of this butterfly correspond very closely
with those of the last species, but it is much more common, and may be
found in abundance in nearly all our southern woods during May and June.
The caterpillar, also, feeds on the same plant (dog violet) as _Selene_.
It is black, with whitish lines along the sides; and is provided with a
number of bristly spines.
The chrysalis is of a grey-brown colour, with small dots of a paler tint
on the wing cases; and its body has a number of short conical
projections exactly corresponding with the spines of the caterpillar.
_The Queen of Spain Fritillary_ (_Argynnis Latona_)
We now pass from the commonest to the rarest and most prized of our wood
butterflies--The Queen of Spain (Plate II, fig. 7). This royal personage
is not easily mistaken for any of the meaner Fritillaries even when the
upper surface only is examined, as the concave hind margins of the fore
wings serve as an almost conclusive mark of distinction. The rich tawny
brown of this side is boldly marked with black, and the long hairs and
scales of the bases of the wings are tinged with green.
The under side presents a most beautiful appearance. Here the ground
colour is paler than that of the upper side. The fore wings are spotted
with black, and have a few small patches of silver at the tips. Each
hind wing has no fewer than twenty-four bright silvery spots. Seven of
these, mostly of large size, adorn the hind margin, and above each of
these is a small one in the middle of a little patch of dark brown. The
arrangement of the others is not quite so easily described, but may be
readily made out from our illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 69.--THE QUEEN OF SPAIN FRITILLARY--UNDER SIDE.]
This rare gem among British butterflies has been taken in many
localities, but in very small numbers. Seeing that it is a common insect
on the other side of the Channel, and that the British captures have
been made chiefly in the Isle of Wight and on the south coast, I am
inclined to believe that many of the highly valued genuine Britishers
have no right to their title, but are visitors that have spent only a
few days within our shores, having flown or been blown across the sea.
It is not likely that many of my readers will ever meet with _Latona_
during their rambles in our own country, and if they are anxious to have
the species represented in their collections, they will probably have to
purchase either a British or a foreign specimen, the former of which
will command a very high price, while the latter may be obtained for
three or four pence.
The perfect insect may be looked for in August and September, during
which time the eggs are laid on the leaves of violets and the heartsease
(_Viola canina_, _V. odorata_, and _V. tricolor_).
The caterpillar is brown, with numerous yellowish spines, and has three
whitish or yellowish stripes--one down the middle of the back and one
along each side. It hybernates during the winter, and is fully grown in
the following June or July. I hope that my reader will be so fortunate
as to secure either this or some other stage of this rare and beautiful
insect. The chances are decidedly against him, but that is no reason
why he should abstain from a vigorous search when he happens to be
'doing' the southern counties.
_The Dark-green Fritillary_ (_Argynnis Aglaia_)
This butterfly is larger than _Latona_, as will be seen by reference to
Plate II, fig. 8. Its colour is, as usual with the Fritillaries, a tawny
brown with black markings. The female is usually larger than the male,
and she is further distinguished by the ground colour being darker and
the black markings larger.
The under side of the fore wings is very similar in colour and markings
to the upper, but there are silvery spots near the tips. The hind wings
are beautifully tinted with olive green and brown, and studded with
silver. The arrangement of the latter is not easily described, but is
accurately represented in the accompanying woodcut.
[Illustration: FIG. 70.--THE DARK-GREEN FRITILLARY--UNDER SIDE.]
The favourite resorts of this insect are wooded spots, and also heaths
and downs clad with heather or ferns, where its food plant (the dog
violet) lies scattered; but it seems to be less partial to woods than
the other Fritillaries. It is very widely distributed throughout
England, and is common in parts of Scotland and Ireland.
The perfect insect is on the wing in July and early August.
The caterpillar first appears toward the end of August, and commences
its period of hybernation among the roots of its food plant before it
has grown to any considerable size. It comes out again in the spring,
and continues to feed till the beginning or middle of July, and then
changes to the chrysalis state, after protecting itself by binding three
or four leaves together.
Its colour is a velvety black, with dark and glossy grey between the
segments. There is a double yellow line along the back, and a thin line
of orange yellow on each side below the spiracles. It has a number of
black hairy spines, arranged in six longitudinal rows.
The chrysalis is of a shiny black colour, with brownish abdomen; and the
conical projections are black with yellow tips.
_The High-brown Fritillary_ (_Argynnis Adippe_)
The upper side of this butterfly is so much like that of _Aglaia_ that
it would be difficult indeed to give a written description of one that
did not almost equally well apply to the other; so we look to the under
surface for the chief marks by which we can distinguish between them.
On this side (Plate III, fig. 1) the fore wings are much the same as
those of _Aglaia_. The hind wings, too, are very similarly coloured and
marked, but here we have a distinguishing feature in a row of rust-red
spots with silvery centres, just inside the silver border of the hind
margin.
[Illustration: FIG. 71.--THE HIGH-BROWN FRITILLARY.]
This butterfly is common in open spaces of woods in many parts of
England, more particularly in the south, and seems to be also fond of
hilly heaths and moors.
It is on the wing in July, and, towards the end of this month and in the
beginning of August, the eggs are laid on the leaves of the dog violet
(_Viola canina_) and heartsease (_V. tricolor_).
The young caterpillar emerges about two weeks later, and feeds only for
a short time before it seeks out its winter quarters among the dead
leaves at the root of its food plant. The feeding is resumed in the
spring, and continued till the month of June, when it is fully grown. At
this time it is about an inch and a half long. Its head is black, and
its body pinkish brown. A white line extends down the back, but is
interrupted by several black marks. The spines, of which there are six
rows, are white, with pinkish tips.
_The Silver-washed Fritillary_ (_Argynnis Paphia_)
This beautiful and noble butterfly is the largest of the Fritillaries,
and the most powerful on the wing. During the latter part of June and
throughout July it may be seen gracefully sweeping through the trees and
undergrowth of woods, often settling down on a favourite flower for a
short time. So strong is its flight that it is useless to attempt to
pursue it for any distance. Sometimes it will sail along a wooded path,
followed at short intervals by others of its species, and may be taken
in the net as it passes. But perhaps the most successful method of
netting _Paphia_ is to wait till it has settled, and then secure it by a
quick upward or side stroke of the net. If then you miss your aim, off
it will dart, sailing over the tree tops till, in a very short time, it
is quite out of sight.
[Illustration: FIG. 72.--THE SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY--UNDER SIDE.]
The upper side of this butterfly is shown in Plate III, fig. 2, where
the general arrangement of the black spots on the rich orange-brown
ground is carefully marked. There is a considerable difference between
the male and female of this species. The figure on Plate III represents
the male. The female does not possess the broad black lines that follow
the course of the veins of the fore wings; the basal portions of all
four wings are also tinged with a rich olive-brown colour, often with a
decided tendency to green; and the black spots of all the wings are
larger.
The under side is particularly rich in its decorations. The front wings
are of the usual orange brown, chequered with black. The hind wings are
partly brown and partly orange, and exhibit beautiful greenish
reflections. They have also two bars of silver, and a silvery spot in
the basal angle, all with rather indefinite outlines.
The female lays her eggs late in July on the food plants (_Viola canina_
and _V. odorata_) or on the moss that surrounds them.
About two weeks later the young caterpillar is out and feeding; and
then, after a few more weeks, while it is yet very small, it hides among
the dead leaves at the roots. Early in the spring it resumes its
feeding, and is full grown at the end of May.
The colour of the caterpillar (Plate VIII, fig. 3) is black, and there
are two yellow lines along the back, separated by a black stripe, also
one yellowish line on each side. Its body is adorned with reddish-brown
spines, two of which, situated just behind the head, are longer than the
others.
The chrysalis (Plate VIII, fig. 9) is greyish, marked with metallic
spots, and has a number of angular projections representing the spines
of the larva.
_Paphia_ is to be met with in woods in all parts of England and Wales.
It has also been observed in Ireland, but is rarely seen in Scotland.
_The Greasy Fritillary_ (_Melitaea Aurinia_)
Unlike the other Fritillaries, this species (Plate III, fig. 3) exhibits
a variety of shades on the upper surface. A broad band of sienna brown
stretches across each wing, near to and parallel with the hind margin.
The other parts of the wings are marked with patches of sienna, orange,
and yellow, separated by black lines and bands. The margins are all
black, and inside the broader margin of the hind wing is a row of six
very pale yellow spots. The broad sienna band of the hind wing is also
divided by narrow black lines into seven parts, six of which have black
centres.
[Illustration: FIG. 73.--THE GREASY FRITILLARY--UNDER SIDE.]
The under surface of the fore wings has indefinite yellowish and tawny
patches, which look as if they had been greased and smeared. The hind
wings are marked with pale yellow and deep orange; a broad band of the
latter, near the hind margin, is divided into segments, each of which
has a yellow spot with black in the centre.
This is a very local insect, although it is widely distributed
throughout England and Wales. It also occurs sparingly in Scotland and
Ireland. Its food plants are the honeysuckle (_Lonicera_
_Periclymenum_), devil's-bit scabious (_Scabiosa succisa_), and the
plantain (_Plantago_); and its chief resorts are damp meadows and marshy
places, where these plants (more especially the scabious) abound.
The butterfly appears about the end of April or in June.
The caterpillars emerge from the eggs towards the end of the latter
month, and always feed in groups under the cover of a silken web. Like
the preceding species they hybernate during the winter, and commence
feeding again in the spring. They are fully grown about the end of
April.
In colour the caterpillar is velvety black, dotted with white, and its
body is covered with short bristly spines. When fully fed it seeks the
shelter of a curled leaf or dense herbage, suspends itself by the hind
claspers to a silken carpet, and then changes to a creamy white
chrysalis with black dots.
_The Glanville Fritillary_ (_Melitaea Cinxia_)
The pattern of the upper side of this Fritillary (Plate III, fig. 4) is
very similar to that of _Aurinia_, but the ground colour is a uniform
tawny brown, and the fringes of the wings are of a very pale straw
colour, barred with black.
The under side of the fore wings is tawny brown, with straw-coloured
tips bearing black markings. The hind wings have four alternate bands of
brown and straw colour, and a patch of straw colour at the base. The
marginal yellow band has six or seven black spots. The brown band next
to it is divided into six segments with black borders, each with a black
spot. The next yellow band has also a row of black spots. The inner
fulvous band is very irregular; and inside this is the yellow base with
six spots.
[Illustration: FIG. 74.--THE GLANVILLE FRITILLARY--UNDER SIDE.]
This is another local insect--very local indeed, for it seems to have
been found only in a few spots outside its head quarters, the Isle of
Wight. Those in search of it should carefully scan the rough cliffy
parts of the island, wherever the species of plantain (_Plantago
Coronopus_ and _P. maritima_) are plentiful, these being the food plants
of the larvae. It first appears on the wing in May, but may be found till
the end of June.
The caterpillars, which are black and spiny, with reddish head and legs,
begin to feed in August, and as soon as the chilly weather sets in they
hybernate in groups under the cover of a tent constructed by binding
together leaves or blades of grass. In the spring they start out again,
and feed till the end of April, at which time they change to dark
brownish and smooth chrysalides.
_The Heath Fritillary_ (_Melitaea Athalia_)
Both the upper and under sides of this butterfly are shown on Plate III
(figs. 5 and 6), and it will be observed from these that its general
appearance is very similar to that of _Cinxia_.
The upper surface is of the same tawny brown, barred and striped with
black, and the fringes of the wings are pale yellow, interrupted by
small patches of black.
The under surface of the fore wings has the same ground colour with the
exception of the tips, which are yellow; and the whole is marked with
black, as in the illustration. The hind wings are pale yellow, with two
broad bands of brown corresponding with those of _Cinxia_; but a series
of black double arches along the hind margin and the _absence_ of rows
of black spots serve to distinguish this species from the last.
_Athalia_ is another local butterfly, but is sometimes found in
abundance in the spots which it frequents. It is met with chiefly in the
open spaces of woods along the south coast and for some distance inland.
Devon, Cornwall, Sussex, and Kent seem to be the most favoured counties;
and London entomologists would do well to search for it in Epping
Forest.
The butterfly deposits its eggs during June and July, on several
different food plants, the chief of which are the greater and
narrow-leaved plantains (_Plantago major_ and _P. lanceolata_), foxglove
(_Digitalis purpurea_), two species of cow-wheat (_Melampyrum pratense_
and _M. sylvaticum_), wood sage (_Teucrium Scorodonia_), and the
germander speedwell (_Veronica Chamaedrys_), and the young caterpillars,
after feeding for only a week or two, commence their period of
hybernation. They resume their feeding in April, and change to the pupal
state about the end of May.
The colour of the caterpillar is velvety black, finely dotted with
white, and the spines are yellow or orange, tipped with white.
The chrysalis is creamy white, banded and patched with orange and
black, and is suspended by anal hooks from a silken, carpet which the
caterpillar had spun on the leaf of the food plant.
_The Comma_ (_Vanessa C-Album_)
Leaving the Fritillaries, we now come to a genus (Vanessa) that includes
seven most beautiful butterflies, some of which are so common as to be
known to almost everybody.
It will be observed that this genus belongs to the same family as the
Fritillaries, and we may therefore expect to find that the two groups
possess features in common. A slight examination of a few in their
different stages will show that this is so. Thus, the perfect insects
have only four walking legs, the caterpillars are all spiny, and the
chrysalides are angular.
[Illustration: FIG. 75.--THE COMMA--UNDER SIDE.]
There is another feature concerning the chrysalides worthy of note. Like
some of the pupae of the Fritillaries, they are adorned more or less with
brilliant metallic spots, sometimes of a rich golden hue, and sometimes
resembling burnished silver. Now the word 'chrysalis,' which, as we have
already seen, is derived from a Greek word meaning 'gold,' was
originally applied to the pupae of some of the Vanessas, on account of
their metallic decorations, but it has since been extended to the pupae
of all the Lepidoptera, and also to other orders of insects, even though
the greater number of them display no tints of the precious metal.
The first member for our consideration is the Comma Butterfly, of which
an illustration is given in Plate III, fig. 7. No one could mistake this
beautiful butterfly for any other British species, for its wings of rich
orange brown, with black and dark-brown markings, are so irregularly
scalloped on the hind margins that they present a somewhat ragged
appearance. Its name is derived from the fact that a white mark
something like the letter C, or, as some have it, like a comma, is
distinctly painted on the dark brown of the under side.
This butterfly generally emerges from the chrysalis late in the
summer--August and September, but it is often seen earlier, and
frequently as late as October. It is a great lover of sweets, and may be
found settled on various flowers and fruits. Its chief food plants are
the hop (_Humulus Lupulus_), red currant (_Ribes rubrum_), stinging
nettle (_Urtica dioica_), and the Elm (_Ulmus campestris_).
It is very abundant in certain districts where hops are grown, but seems
to avoid those counties that border the sea. It is widely distributed in
the midland counties, and extends to the north of England and into
Scotland, but is very capricious in its appearance in many parts.
The eggs are laid in May by females that have hybernated through the
winter, and the caterpillars may be found feeding during July and
August.
The caterpillar is coloured grey and brown, with a black head, and a
broad white stripe down the back of the hindermost segments. The body is
armed with a number of spines, some of which are white, and others pale
brown.
The chrysalis is a very peculiar object, having two ear-like projections
extending forwards from the sides of the head. It has a number of
angular projections, and is of an umber-brown colour, finely netted with
black lines, and having several spots of a brilliant metallic lustre.
_The Large Tortoiseshell_ (_Vanessa Polychloros_)
Our two tortoiseshells--large and small--are very similar in their
colour and markings, and moreover are not always to be distinguished by
their size, for specimens of the larger species are sometimes even
inferior in this respect to the largest of the smaller species; so, to
avoid all risks of mistaken identity, we must look for more reliable
marks of distinction between them.
The present species is figured on Plate III (fig. 8), where it will be
seen that the ground colour of dark tawny brown is spotted and bordered
with black. The border of the hind wings contains a row of
crescent-shaped blue spots. The costal margin of the fore wings, between
the black patches, is decidedly lighter than the general ground, and is
yellow rather than brown. It will be noticed, too, that a black spot
lies very near the anal angle of these wings.
The under surface, though by no means brilliant, exhibits a rich
blending of various shades of brown.
This butterfly is not known to occur in either Scotland or Ireland, and
is by no means common in England. Its chief localities are in the
midland and eastern counties.
The perfect insect generally appears about the middle of July, and after
spending a month or six weeks on the wing, seeks out a sheltered spot in
which to spend the winter. In the spring--April or May--it again takes
to flight, and during the latter month the females are busily engaged in
the deposition of their eggs.
The caterpillar feeds on the two species of elm (_Ulmus campestris_ and
_U. montana_), willow (_Salix alba_), sallow (_S. Caprea_), osier (_S.
viminalis_), aspen (_Populus tremula_), and certain fruit trees; and is
full grown about midsummer. It is of a tawny grey colour, with a black
stripe on each side, and is covered with very small wart-like
projections, and the spines are branched.
The chrysalis is of a dull pinkish colour, and may be found on tree
trunks, palings, and walls, about the end of June, suspended from a
silken carpet by means of its anal hooks.
_The Small Tortoiseshell_ (_Vanessa Urticae_)
_Urticae_ (Plate III, fig. 9) may be distinguished from _Polychloros_ by
the _absence_ of the black spot in the anal angle of the fore wings of
the latter. It has also a white spot near the tip of each fore
wing-between the black border and the first black costal patch. The
whole of the base of the hind wing is also black, and the ground colour
is decidedly brighter.
It is one of the commonest of all British butterflies, and is to be
found more or less abundantly in nearly all parts of the British Isles.
The hybernated perfect insects come out early in the spring, and lay
their eggs in close irregular clusters on nettles (_Urtica dioica_ and
_U. urens_). Shortly after the gregarious caterpillars may be found on
these plants in dense masses. They change to the chrysalis state about
the end of May, and from this time there is a continuous succession of
butterflies till the end of the summer.
The later specimens, which do not emerge till September or October,
spend only a short time on the wing, and then hybernate till the spring,
giving rise to the first brood of the following season.
The caterpillar of this species is black above and greyish beneath. It
is thickly covered with yellow dots, which are so close together on the
back as to form two yellowish stripes, separated only by a fine black
line. There are also two yellowish stripes along each side; and the
body, as with the rest of this genus, is spiny, the spines in this case
being black or very dark green.
The chrysalis is brownish, and spotted with burnished gold in variable
quantity--sometimes so plentifully as to cover the greater part of the
surface.
_The Peacock_ (_Vanessa Io_)
This is another of our commonest and most beautiful butterflies. Its
general appearance is such that it cannot possibly be mistaken for any
other. The upper side (Plate IV, fig. 1) is rendered conspicuous by the
beautiful eye-like marks at the costal angles of all four wings; and the
under surface is very richly decorated with a fine arrangement of black
and dark-brown patches and streaks.
Io is very abundant in all parts of England, and is well known in many
parts of Scotland and Ireland, but seems to be rare in the extreme north
of both of these countries.
Its food plant is the stinging nettle (_Urtica dioica_), and on this the
eggs are laid in April by females that have hybernated during the
winter.
The caterpillar is full grown at the end of June or beginning of July.
It is black, with numerous minute white wart-like projections. Its
spines also are black, and its claspers brown.
The chrysalis may be found suspended by the tail on some object in the
neighbourhood of the food plant, or sometimes on the food plant itself.
It is of a greenish colour, with yellowish patches, but turns darker as
the time approaches for the emerging of the perfect insect.
This event takes place in August, and the butterfly, after a brief
period on the wing, seeks out a sheltered spot for its winter nap.
_The Camberwell Beauty_ (_Vanessa Antiopa_)
The reader will be fortunate if he succeeds in netting a specimen of
this highly prized British butterfly. It derives its popular name from
the fact that a few were taken in Camberwell about a hundred and fifty
years ago; and since that time it has been seen and taken in variable
numbers in several parts of England. So widely distributed, indeed, are
its localities, and so few, comparatively, its appearances, that it
would be useless to attempt to give any hints as to where it may be
looked for. It is, however, a very common butterfly in many continental
countries, and foreign specimens may be obtained from any dealer in
entomological wares for a few pence each.
This rare British gem is illustrated in fig. 2 of Plate IV. Here it will
be seen that nearly the whole of the surface is covered with a rich
velvety purple brown, bordered with a black band containing blue spots;
and outside this is a border of white, finely dotted and streaked with
black. The continental specimens may be easily distinguished from the
genuine Britishers by a darker border with a decidedly yellow tinge.
The eggs of this species are generally laid on the young leaves of the
willow (_Salix alba_), in the spring, by females that have hybernated,
but sometimes the nettle (_Urtica dioica_) and the birch (_Betula alba_)
are selected for the food of the larvae.
The caterpillar is black and spiny, and has a row of seven rather large
reddish-brown spots on the back, commencing at the fifth segment.
The chrysalis, like those of the other members of this family, is
angular and suspended by the 'tail.' The perfect insect appears in
August, and may be seen from that month till October.
_The Red Admiral_ (_Vanessa Atalanta_)
There seems to be a tendency with many to under-estimate the beauty of
certain natural objects because they happen to be so very common, and
this is particularly the case with some of our most familiar
butterflies. The beautiful Red Admiral (Plate IV, fig. 3) may possibly
suffer in this respect; for, not only is it one of the commonest of our
butterflies, but it fearlessly hovers among the flowers of our gardens,
often venturing into the very heart of thickly populated towns.
The bright scarlet bands and white blotches of this gorgeous insect
stand out boldly on the rich velvety black ground of the wings, and the
additional touches of blue in the anal angles of the hind wings add to
the effect. The under side of the fore wings is somewhat similar to the
upper surface, but is relieved by brown and blue; and this side of the
hind wings presents most beautiful and indescribable blendings of
various shades of brown, grey, and pink. The female may be
distinguished by the presence of a small white spot on the scarlet band
of the fore wing.
The eggs are deposited singly on the nettle (_Urtica dioica_) in spring
by females that have hybernated through the winter.
The caterpillar always feeds under the cover of a tent made by drawing
leaves together. It is spiny, and its colour is usually a greenish or
yellowish grey, spotted with black, and striped along the sides with
white or yellow. When fully grown it bites the stem of the nettle nearly
through a few inches from the top, so that the upper part of the plant
bends over the withers. It then constructs a commodious tent by binding
the leaves of this drooping portion together, and suspends itself from
the roof of this strange home to undergo its metamorphoses.
The change to the chrysalis state takes place in July or August, and the
perfect insect may be seen during August, September, and October in
almost every part of the British Isles.
_The Painted Lady_ (_Vanessa Cardui_)
Although the time of appearance of this butterfly generally corresponds
with that of the last species, yet it is exceedingly variable, so much
so that it is impossible to give any fixed period as its season. It is,
moreover, very capricious with regard to its localities and its numbers.
Sometimes it will turn up unexpectedly in positive abundance in certain
localities where previously it had been a mere straggler; and then, for
some unaccountable reason, become comparatively scarce for several
successive seasons.
The upper surface of this beauty (Plate IV, fig. 4) is adorned with pale
red, orange, and black, and with five white spots near the tip of each
fore wing. The under side of the fore wings is marked something like the
upper, but much of the black is replaced by shades of brown. The hind
wings are beautifully variegated beneath with greys and browns, and have
a row of eye-like spots near the hind margin.
The eggs of this butterfly are laid singly on various species of
thistles, particularly the common field thistle (_Cnicus arvensis_),
generally in the month of June.
The caterpillar, which is black above and red beneath, with yellowish
stripes along the back and sides, feeds under the cover of a silken web
which it constructs among the leaves. It is full grown in July or
August, when it suspends itself after the manner of the other Vanessas
previous to undergoing its changes.
The chrysalis is angular, coloured with brown and grey, and adorned with
brilliant gold spots.
The perfect insect may be seen at large throughout late summer and the
autumn, and the eggs are laid by females that survive the winter.
_The White Admiral_ (_Limenitis Sibylla_)
The White Admiral (Plate IV, fig. 5) is neither so pretty nor so common
as its red namesake, but it is nevertheless a fine insect, although the
chief beauty is reserved for the under surface. Above, the ground colour
is a very dark rusty brown, relieved by bands and spots of white. The
under surface is beautifully marked with silvery blue, bright orange
brown, and white, the latter being arranged just like the corresponding
colour on the upper side.
It will be observed that this butterfly does not belong to the _Vanessa_
genus; so, while we may look for _family_ resemblances, we shall observe
a few features in which it differs from the preceding species.
It is not by any means abundant, being unknown in Scotland and Ireland,
and confined in England almost exclusively to the oak woods of the
south, where its food plant--the honeysuckle (_Lonicera
Periclymenum_)--abounds. Here it may be seen during July, gracefully
sailing among the trees and across the open spaces.
The caterpillar is very different from those of the Vanessas. Its colour
is dark green, with a narrow white stripe along each side. There are
very conspicuous branched spines on the third and two following
segments, also on the eleventh and twelfth; and smaller spines on most
of the others. All the spines are of a brownish colour, with pink tips.
While it is yet very small it prepares its winter quarters by bending
round the remains of a leaf on which it has been feeding, securing the
edges by silken threads, and then binding it to the stem of the plant.
Soon after, the petiole becomes detached from the stem, and the little
caterpillar then rests suspended in its snug swinging cradle, where it
remains perfectly secure till the following April, when the warm sun
calls it out to feed on the opening leaves. It continues at this till
about the beginning of June, and then changes to a beautiful angular and
eared chrysalis, of a bright green colour, marked with brown, and having
brilliant silvery spots and streaks.
Family--APATURIDAE
_The Purple Emperor_ (_Apatura Iris_)
This grand insect is the only British member of its family, and richly
deserves its popular title. The male, which is figured on Plate V (fig.
1), exhibits a most gorgeous imperial purple, which is reflected at
certain angles only from the upper surface of his large and powerful
wings. His flight is lofty and vigorous, and among the topmost branches
of majestic oaks, where he defies the efforts of would-be capturers.
Unlike our other butterflies, he is also a very quarrelsome creature,
and will not hesitate to fiercely attack a brother Emperor who dares
approach the branch he has selected for his throne.
Many attempts have been made to capture this prized creature by means of
a large net mounted on the end of a pole twenty or thirty feet in
length, but the wielding of such a cumbersome implement against so
powerful an insect is no mean task, and but few fall a prey to such a
snare. But it so happens that this imperial personage has a very
depraved appetite, the indulgence in which has often brought him to
ruin. Instead of searching out the sweets so bounteously supplied by the
blossoms that are so attractive to other lepidopterous insects, he
delights in sipping the waters of the filthiest puddles, and imbibing
the odoriferous moisture of dung and the decomposing carcases of
animals. So deeply seated is this depravity of taste that the Emperor
may be netted with ease while indulging in his sumptuous feast, and is
even to be taken at times with the fingers.
The knowledge of this peculiarity of the imperial palate has led
entomologists to abandon the awkward net, and to bait the woods with
viands that alone can entice his highness from his lofty seat; and many
a splendid specimen has been easily captured while enjoying the
luxurious juice of a dead cat, stoat, or rabbit, or of a seething mass
of pig's dung.
The female is larger than her mate, and does not display the beautiful
purple reflections that adorn the male. She is very different, too, in
her habits, for she sits nearly all day on high branches of trees,
giving her attention to the graver duties of an imperial mother, and is
consequently but seldom seem. She lays her eggs in July on the sallow
(_Salix Caprea_) or the poplar (_Populus_), and in less than a fortnight
the young caterpillars are hatched. They feed on till the leaves are
falling, and then fix themselves by their claspers to a silken carpet
which they construct on a twig. Here they remain, exposed to all the
wintry blasts and frosts, till the new leaves are out in the spring,
when they again commence feeding, and continue to do so till they are
full grown--in May or June.
The under side of this species is shown in fig. 76, in which will also
be observed the eye-like spots of the fore wings which have given rise
to its specific name (_Iris_).
The caterpillar (Plate VIII, fig. 5) is a very peculiar creature. Its
body is green, with seven oblique yellowish stripes on each side, and it
has a pair of horns attached to its head.
[Illustration: FIG. 76.--THE PURPLE EMPEROR--UNDER SIDE.]
The chrysalis (Plate VIII, fig. 10) may be found in June, suspended to
the under side of a leaf. It is of an apple-green colour, and still
exhibits the oblique stripes which we observed in the caterpillar.
This insect is not to be found in either Scotland or Ireland, but is
more or less abundant in many of the oak woods of the midland and
southern counties of England. Among the numerous favoured localities, we
may mention Colchester, Forest of Dean, Northamptonshire, Ipswich,
Huntingdonshire, Buckinghamshire, Epping, Lyndhurst, and the Isle of
Wight.
CHAPTER XIV
_THE BROWNS AND HEATHS_
Family--SATYRIDAE
This family contains eleven British species, often spoken of
collectively as the 'Browns,' since in most of them the prevailing tints
are various shades of brown. They are decidedly dingy in comparison with
the beautiful butterflies we have been previously observing; but to this
statement we must allow one marked exception, for the family includes
the beautiful Marbled White, which stands out prominently among its
fellows for brilliancy and boldness of colour.
The caterpillars of the 'Satyrs' have no spines, but their bodies are
covered with very minute hair-bearing warts that give them a soft
velvety appearance. The hinder extremity tapers off considerably, and
terminates in two points.
The chrysalides are not angular like those of the preceding species, and
though generally suspended by the tail, are sometimes found quite free
among leaves and grasses on the ground.
The perfect insects are rather feeble fliers, and generally take so
little notice of intruders that they are easily caught in the hand.
Their wings are devoid of angles, and they have only four perfectly
developed legs.
_The Marbled White_ (_Melanargia Galatea_)
Our first member of this family is the exception to which we have
already alluded as a relief to the general dinginess of the 'Browns.'
Its colours above are cream and black, arranged as shown in Plate V,
fig. 2. The under side (fig. 77) is marked with white, black, and
greenish grey, with a row of eye-like spots parallel with the hind
margin of the hind wings.
This butterfly is not known in Scotland or Ireland, nor is it to be
found in several of the northern counties of England. Its chief haunts
are the waste cliffy grounds of the southern and some of the midland
counties of England, where it is usually restricted to certain small
districts. In some places it is really a common insect, and among these
may be mentioned Brighton, Horsham, Dover, Folkestone, Margate,
Gravesend, New Forest, parts of Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire, and
Devonshire, also in the Isle of Wight and South Wales.
[Illustration: FIG. 77.--THE MARBLED WHITE--UNDER SIDE.]
The perfect insect is out in July, during which month the eggs are
deposited on various grasses, or indiscriminately on leaves and stems in
grassy spots.
The caterpillar feeds on grasses; and, being still small at the end of
the autumn, hybernates during the winter among the stems of grass. It
feeds again in April, and is fully grown by the end of May. Its colour
is a dull green or brownish, with a darker stripe down the back, and
lighter stripes along the sides. Its spiracles are black.
The chrysalis is pale brown, marked with lines of a slightly darker
shade. It may be found among grass stems, without any attachment, during
the month of June.
_The Small Ringlet_ (_Erebia Epiphron_)
On account of the very limited range of this butterfly, only those who
have the opportunity of visiting its haunts can have any practical
acquaintance with its natural history. It is almost exclusively confined
to the lake district in England, to a few mountainous localities in
Scotland, and to one or two similar localities in Ireland. Its strong
partiality for elevated situations has earned for it the popular name of
Mountain Ringlet.
The colour of the upper surface (Plate V, fig. 3) is a dark brown, with
a broad band of rusty brown, parallel with the hind margin of each wing,
and broken by the wing rays. Each division of these bands has often a
black central spot, but frequently these are entirely absent. The
colouring of the under side is very similar but less defined, and the
rusty spots of the hind wings are very small.
The butterfly is out in June and July. The caterpillars, which are
green, with white stripes along the sides, feed on various grasses. They
hybernate during the winter, and change to the chrysalis state in the
following May or June.
_The Northern Brown_ (_Erebia AEthiops_)
The colour of this species (Plate V, fig. 4) is a rich dark brown, with
rust-coloured and black spotted bands arranged something like those of
the last. The markings, however, are very variable. There are usually
four black spots on the band of the fore wings, but the first two of
these are always united, and centred with white. The third is often very
small or entirely wanting.
The under side of the fore wings is marked something like the upper, but
the hind wings on this side are grey, with two broad bands of a darker
colour.
As its popular name implies, this butterfly is a northerner. It is
common in Scotland, where it flies in elevated spots. In England it is
confined to the mountainous districts of the north.
The perfect insect is at large in July and August, during which time the
eggs are deposited on various grasses or on low-growing herbage in
grassy spots.
The caterpillar is of a brown colour, and has a narrow black stripe down
the middle of the back, and two other stripes, lighter than the ground
colour, one on each side. At about the end of June it turns to a
chrysalis of a brownish colour.
The food plants of this species include a number of common grasses.
_The Speckled Wood or Wood Argus_ (_Pararge Egeria_)
Most of our butterflies delight in the hot sun, and are to be seen on
the wing only when it is shining brightly. This fact is particularly
noticeable on a bright day with occasional heavy clouds. While the sun's
rays are pouring uninterruptedly on the landscape, numbers of these
light-lovers are to be observed flitting about; but when the dense
shadow of a passing cloud creeps over the ground they rapidly disappear
from view, having settled down to rest on leaves and stems. Then, as
soon as the shadow passes away, the air is again enlivened with their
sports and flittings.
The Wood Argus is a marked exception to this rule. It delights in the
cool shade of the narrow paths of woods, where it slowly flies up and
down the lonely footpath, taking but little heed of strangers that
intrude on its haunts, and seldom venturing into the full blaze of the
sun unless pursued. Even on dull days it continues its solitary flight,
and may even be seen on the wing while a soft rain is bathing the
dripping foliage.
The upper surface of this pretty butterfly is shown on Plate V, fig. 5,
and the under side in the accompanying woodcut. Both sides are prettily
marked with various shades of brown and buff, and adorned with
white-centred dark eye-spots which have earned for it the name of Argus.
[Illustration: FIG. 78.--THE WOOD ARGUS--UNDER SIDE.]
It first appears on the wing in April, and may be seen from this month
continuously to the end of August.
The food plants probably consist of many species of grasses, the
cock's-foot (_Dactylis glomerata_) and couch grass (_Agropyron repens_)
being among the number, and the eggs are laid on or in the neighbourhood
of these during the summer months.
The caterpillar of this species is of a dull greenish or brownish
colour, and it has two whitish stripes (sometimes three) down the middle
of the back, and similar stripes along each side. It hybernates during
the winter, and is full grown in March, when it changes to a dull green
or brownish chrysalis, which is streaked with black, and has a few white
dots on the back.
It has been stated that the butterfly is on the wing from April to
August, and, according to some authorities, there are no less than three
broods during this time, following each other in rapid succession. It is
common throughout England and Ireland, and is known in parts of
Scotland.
_The Wall Butterfly_ (_Pararge Megaera_)
Belonging to the same genus is another very familiar butterfly--the
Wall--which receives its popular title from its peculiar habit of
frequently resting on walls and stony banks. It is one of the first, if
not _the_ first, to take to the wing in the morning, and is generally
the last to seek its hiding place in the evening. I have seen it
actively flying about during August, as early as 7.30 in the morning,
and found it still flitting from one spot to another along the western
side of a wall as late as 8 in the evening, as if in search of a
convenient shelter for the fast approaching night.
This pretty 'Brown' must be familiar to the reader, and the coloured
drawing on Plate V (fig. 6) will at once serve for purposes of
identification without the necessity of a wordy description. It may be
mentioned, however, that the male (the sex figured) is smaller than the
female, and is further distinguished by a broad dark oblique band
passing across each fore wing.
The Wall is a double-brooded butterfly, the first brood appearing in
May, and the second in August. The caterpillars which produce the latter
may be found on the cock's foot (_Dactylis glomerata_) and other grasses
in June, while those of the former are hybernators; and the chrysalides
of the two broods may be found in April and July respectively.
The colour of the caterpillar is green, with a slightly darker stripe
down the middle of the back, a pale stripe along each side, and another
similar stripe about midway between these two.
The chrysalis is green with the exception of the more prominent parts of
its surface, which are almost white.
This species is very common in almost every locality in Britain.
_The Grayling_ (_Satyrus Semele_)
The Grayling is the largest of our 'Browns,' and, although a powerful
flier, it seldom takes long flights. The female, which is shown in fig.
7, Plate V, is really a beautiful creature, the light markings of which
stand out in bold contrast with the deep brown ground colour; but the
male is comparatively dingy, there being much less contrast between the
ground and the markings. He is also smaller than his mate.
The under side of both sexes is similar (fig. 79), the pattern of the
fore wings being much like that of the other side, but considerably
lighter, and the hind wings are beautifully marbled with various greys
and browns.
[Illustration: FIG. 79.--THE GRAYLING--UNDER SIDE.]
This species is not nearly so common as the two preceding, but it is
very widely distributed, and is exceedingly abundant in some parts. On
some of the heathery cliffs and downs of the south and south-west coasts
it is so plentiful that the butterflies are started into the air at
almost every step, for it seldom flies except when disturbed. It is a
common insect in Ireland, and also in parts of Scotland.
The caterpillar is a hybernator, and may be found feeding on grasses in
the autumn and the spring. It changes to the chrysalis in June, and the
perfect insect is on the wing from June to the beginning of September.
The colour of the caterpillar is pinkish drab above, and greenish drab
beneath. A dark brown stripe, edged with a lighter colour, passes down
the middle of the back, and a dark line on each side. It changes to a
dark reddish-brown chrysalis on the surface of the ground, or, according
to some observers, a little beneath the surface.
_The Meadow Brown_ (_Epinephele Janira_)
Although this very common butterfly is usually considered to be the
dingiest of its family, yet it must be admitted that the colour of a
freshly emerged specimen is really very rich.
The male is of a dark brown colour, with an indistinct patch of a
lighter tawny brown near the outer margin of the fore wings, and a
white-centred black eye-spot near the costal angle of the same wings.
The female (Plate V, fig. 8) is of a lighter colour, the eye-spot on her
fore wings is larger and far more conspicuous, and an irregular patch of
light orange brown occupies a large area of each of the same wings. She
is, moreover, larger than her mate, and in every way a more attractive
insect.
The Meadow Brown abounds everywhere, from June to September, and may be
seen on grass land and waste grounds where other butterflies are seldom
found.
The caterpillar is green, and is rendered slightly rough by a number of
minute warts. There is also a white stripe on each side. It feeds on
various grasses in the autumn, hybernates during the winter, and is full
grown in May.
The chrysalis is apple green, spotted with a lighter green, and has
several black markings.
_The Large Heath_ (_Epinephele Tithonus_)
This butterfly is sometimes called the 'Small Meadow Brown,' and is
certainly much like the last species, both in colouring and habits.
The fore wings of the male (Plate V, fig. 9) are light orange brown,
bordered with dark brown, and having a broad patch of the same across
the middle; and near the costal angle is a round black spot with two
white dots. The hind wings are dark brown with a patch of light orange
brown near the centre, and a small eye-spot near the anal angle. The
female is exactly similar, except that she does not possess the broad
bar on the fore wings.
[Illustration: FIG. 80.--THE LARGE HEATH--UNDER SIDE.]
The under side is shown in fig. 80, and is coloured with various shades
of brown.
This is a very common butterfly, and may be seen during July in most
English counties, also in the south of Scotland, and in a few localities
in the south of Ireland. It frequents meadows, heaths, downs, and lanes,
like _Janira_, but is not nearly so abundant as that species.
The young caterpillar is hatched in August, and is still very small when
it seeks its winter shelter among the stems of grasses. It resumes
feeding in the following May, and is full grown towards the end of June.
Its colour is very variable--pale green, olive green, or dull brown,
with five longitudinal stripes at about equal distances from each other.
These consist of a dark one down the middle of the back, a pale line
along each side, and another pale line midway between these.
The chrysalis may be found at the end of June, attached by the tail to
blades of grass. It is of a very light colour, almost white, but adorned
with numerous black lines and patches.
_The Ringlet_ (_Epinephele Hyperanthus_)
This is another rather plainly dressed insect, though somewhat prettily
adorned on the under side. The upper surface is of a very deep sepia
brown, almost black, with a few indistinct black eye-like spots near the
margins. The under side (Plate V, fig. 10) is of a lighter umber brown,
with corresponding eye-spots generally very conspicuous. These spots are
black, with white centres, and generally surrounded by light rings. They
are subject, however, to considerable variation. Those on the upper
surface are sometimes quite absent in the male, but are nearly always
readily perceptible in the female. On the under side, too, they are
occasionally quite absent, while in other varieties they are minute
white-centred dots, without any surrounding light ring. Our coloured
drawing represents the most usual form.
[Illustration: FIG. 81.--THE RINGLET--UPPER SIDE.]
The favourite haunts of the Ringlet are the borders of woods, and the
sheltered sides of flowery hedgerows. It is not so widely distributed as
some of the common 'Browns,' but is usually very abundant where it
occurs, sometimes appearing in such numbers that several may be taken
with a single stroke of the net. It does not seem to be a frequenter of
Scotland, and is known in Ireland only in the south. Its head quarters
are the southern and south-midland counties of England.
The eggs are laid in July on various grasses, on which the young
caterpillars feed from about the middle of August till the cold weather
sets in. They hybernate at the roots of the grasses till the beginning
of the following May, and change to the chrysalis state about the middle
of June, suspending themselves to grass blades by means of their anal
hooks.
The colour of the caterpillar is dull green or brown, and is marked with
five longitudinal stripes much like those of the Large Heath.
The chrysalis is pale brown, spotted and striped with a darker shade of
the same colour.
_The Marsh Ringlet_ (_Caenonympha Typhon_)
The upper surface of this butterfly is shown in the first figure of
Plate VI, and the under side in the accompanying woodcut; but it must be
remembered that the species is a very variable one, so much so that it
is almost impossible to give anything like a short and, at the same
time, a satisfactory description. The female may usually be
distinguished by a pale patch across the middle of the fore wings; and
the eye spots of the same wings, always more or less indistinct when
present, are sometimes entirely wanting. The markings of the under side
are even more variable, the transverse bars and the eye spots being
often particularly conspicuous, and at other times hardly discernible.
[Illustration: FIG. 82.--THE MARSH RINGLET--UNDER SIDE.]
This is generally spoken of as a northerner, its chief localities being
in the mountainous parts of Scotland and the elevated districts of the
north of England, but in Ireland it extends to the southern ranges. Its
haunts are elevated moors and marshy heaths, where its food plant--the
beak-rush (_Rhyncospora alba_)--abounds, and it is on the wing from the
end of June to August or September.
The caterpillar is green, with five longitudinal stripes--one dark one,
bordered with yellow, down the middle of the back, and two pale yellow
ones on each side. It is a hybernator, and is full grown about the end
of May, when it suspends itself by the hindmost claspers to a silken
carpet, and changes to a green chrysalis with pale brown wing cases.
_The Small Heath_ (_Caenonympha Pamphilus_)
The last member of the family _Satyridae_ is the well-known Small Heath,
that may be seen almost all over the British Isles on heaths, meadows
and moors, from May to September.
The upper surface of this butterfly (Plate VI, fig. 2) is a tawny
yellow, with a dark brown border, and a spot of the same dark tint near
the tip of each fore wing. The under side is much like that of the last
species, but there are no eye spots on the hind wings.
The eggs of the first brood are laid during May and June on the various
grasses on which the caterpillar feeds.
The caterpillars that emerge from these are fully grown in July or early
August, and go through their changes during the latter month; but the
later ones hybernate during the winter, and are not full fed till the
following May.
The colour of the larva is pale apple green, with a wide darker stripe
down the back, two others along the sides, and two more between the
latter and the dorsal stripe. All these five stripes are bordered with a
whitish colour.
The chrysalis is bright apple green, dotted with white, and the wing
cases are striped with a purple-brown line edged with white.
CHAPTER XV
_THE HAIRSTREAKS, COPPERS AND BLUES_
Family--LYCAENIDAE
This is a large family, including as it does no less than nineteen of
the British species. These are all of small size, and are characterised
by their short and jerky flights. They seldom rise much above the
ground, and are consequently very easily caught.
The caterpillars of this family have all short and rather thick bodies,
shaped very much like that of the wood louse--flattened beneath and very
convex above.
The chrysalides are generally attached by the 'tail,' and further
secured by a silken cord round the body, as we have already observed in
the case of the _Pieridae_.
The perfect insects differ from the preceding species in that all six
legs are perfectly developed and adapted for walking.
There are only three genera in this large family:
1. _Thecla_--The Hairstreaks, with 'tailed' wings.
2. _Polyommatus_--The 'Coppers.'
3. _Lycaena_--The 'Blues,' with wings either blue or brown.
_The Brown Hairstreak_ (_Thecla Betulae_)
The five Hairstreaks which constitute the genus _Thecla_ are all pretty
insects, characterised by hair-like streaks on the under surface.
_Betulae_ is the largest of these. Its upper surface is of a deep brown
colour, with orange-brown marks at the anal angles of the hind wings,
and, in the female, a large patch of orange on the fore wings. The under
side (Plate VI, fig. 3) is orange brown, much lighter in the male than
in the female. On the fore wings are two white lines, the inner one of
which is indistinct; and on the hind wings are two others, the outer one
being longer and more distinct than the inner.
This butterfly is by no means an abundant insect, though it is widely
distributed, and in some places plentiful. Its chief haunts are woods,
and we may mention among its favoured localities Epping Forest, Monk's
Wood in Cambridgeshire, the wooded parts of South Devon and Dorset, New
Forest, Colchester, and Peterborough.
[Illustration: FIG. 83.--THE BROWN HAIRSTREAK--MALE.]
The perfect insect is on the wing from July to October, and the eggs are
deposited in the autumn on the twigs of its food plant--the blackthorn
(_Prunus spinosa_). These do not hatch till the following spring. Toward
the end of June the caterpillar is fully fed.
The colour of the caterpillar is light green, with two white stripes
down the back, and two others along the sides. There are also two small
oblique whitish lines on each side of each segment.
The chrysalis is smooth, and of a pale brown colour.
_The Black Hairstreak, or White-letter Hairstreak_ (_Thecla W-album_)
The first of the above two popular names has been applied to this
species on account of the very deep brown colour of the upper side,
which colour is often a near approach to black. The second is due to the
W-shaped bend of the white streak of the hind wings. The ground colour
of the under side (Plate VI, fig. 4) is greyish brown, with a bright
orange band, spotted with black near the hind margin of the hind wings.
[Illustration: FIG. 84.--THE WHITE-LETTER HAIRSTREAK.]
_W-album_ is a somewhat rare insect, but is occasionally seen in plenty
in a few localities, Cambridgeshire, Berkshire, Epping, Colchester and
Suffolk being among its chief resorts. It is out on the wing in July,
and should be looked for in wooded country where the common elm (_Ulmus
campestris_) and the wych elm (_U. montana_), its food plants, exist.
The eggs are laid on the twigs of these trees late in the summer, and
the young caterpillars do not appear till the following spring. The
chrysalis may be found attached to an elm twig or leaf about the end of
June.
The caterpillar is pale green. The ridges along the back are tinged with
yellow, and there are two fine oblique white lines on each side of each
segment.
_The Dark Hairstreak_ (_Thecla Pruni_)
The upper side of this butterfly is very much like that of _W-album_,
but it may be distinguished by the presence of a few orange spots near
the anal angle of the hind wings. The colouring of the under side (Plate
VI, fig. 5) is also very similar, except that the white lines of the
wings are thinner and less distinct than in the last species, and do not
exhibit the W-shaped bend. The orange band of this surface is bordered
on each side with a row of black spots, each of which is touched with a
bluish white or a metallic blue.
This insect is not by any means common, but has been seen in
considerable numbers in certain localities. It is not found in either
Scotland or Ireland, and its chief haunts in England seem to be in
Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It frequents
wooded country, and flies during June and July.
The eggs are laid late in the summer on the twigs of the blackthorn
(_Prunus spinosa_), and are not hatched till the following spring.
The caterpillar, which is pale green, with rows of yellow spots, may be
found in May.
_The Purple Hairstreak_ (_Thecla Quercus_)
This pretty butterfly, by far the commonest of the Hairstreaks, though
comparatively very small, reminds one forcibly of the noble Purple
Emperor. Its haunts are the same oak woods, and its upper surface,
though only a dull dark brown in certain lights, exhibits the same
imperial purple reflections when viewed at certain angles. The purple of
the male extends over the whole of the wings, but that of the female is
confined to a V-shaped patch at the base of the fore wings. In the
latter case, however, the purple is much richer than in the male sex.
The under side (Plate VI, fig. 6) is coloured with a delicate grey
ground, adorned with a white streak on each wing, and a couple of orange
spots near the anal angle of the hind wings.
This species is very widely distributed, being common in oak woods in
most parts of England, and also in many parts of Scotland and Ireland.
It flies around the branches of the trees, and often disappoints the
collector by keeping far beyond the reach of his net.
[Illustration: FIG. 85.--THE PURPLE HAIRSTREAK--MALE.]
Those in search of this pretty insect should ramble in oak woods,
preferably in the south of England, during July and August. The eggs may
be found glued to the twigs throughout the winter, and the larvae may be
beaten from the branches of the oak in June.
The colour of the caterpillar is brownish or pinkish green, with a row
of V-shaped marks down the back.
The chrysalis is of a brown colour, short and thick, and may be found
either attached to oak leaves, or under the surface of the earth at the
foot of the tree on which the caterpillar fed.
_The Green Hairstreak_ (_Thecla Rubi_)
Next to _Quercus_, this is the most plentiful of the genus. It frequents
woods and heaths in nearly every county in England, and is also found in
parts of Scotland and Ireland. It is peculiar among British butterflies
as being the only one that exhibits a bright green colour. It also
differs from the other Hairstreaks in two important particulars, for the
hind wings, though angled at the hind margin, are not 'tailed,' and the
characteristic hairstreak which gives the popular name to the genus is
here represented only by a series of white dots across the wings, or, in
some cases, by one or two dots on the hind wings only.
[Illustration: FIG. 86.--THE GREEN HAIRSTREAK.]
The upper side is dark brown, displaying metallic reflections when
viewed in a strong light. The under side is represented in fig. 7 of
Plate VI.
The chief food plants of this species are the bramble (_Rubus
fruticosus_), the birch (_Betula alba_), and the broom (_Cytisus
scoparius_).
The perfect insect flies in May and June, and the eggs are deposited
during the latter month on the above plants. The caterpillars are full
fed in July, and change to the chrysalis state towards the end of the
summer.
The colour of the caterpillar is pale green, with a yellow stripe and
several white oblique lines along the sides, also a yellowish stripe
down the back.
The chrysalis is short and thick, and of a dark brown colour.
_The Large Copper_ (_Polyommatus Dispar_)
Our next genus contains only two British species. The first of
these--the Large Copper--was once a common insect at Whittlesea in
Cambridgeshire, and in some of the fens of Huntingdonshire, but is now
feared to be quite extinct, as none have been seen for many years. The
last capture was made in 1847 in Huntingdonshire. However, it _may_ turn
up again; and even if it does not, it would be a pity to allow the
memory of so fine an insect to die out; so we find room to figure it
(Plate VI, fig. 8), and append a few remarks.
There is a very great difference between the male and the female. The
former is of a brilliant copper hue, and all the wings have a black
margin and a black streak near the middle. The female is larger; and the
coppery colour is much redder. The black border of the fore wings is
wider, and there are also several large black spots on these wings. The
hind wings are almost entirely covered with black, with the exception of
a broad coppery band near the hind margin.
The food plant of the caterpillar appears to have been the water dock
(_Rumex Hydrolapathum_), on which the eggs were laid late in the summer.
It is probable that the caterpillar was a hybernator, seeking its winter
shelter while still very young; and it was full fed in June.
Its colour was green, with a darker stripe of the same colour on the
back; and the chrysalis was attached by anal hooks and a cord round the
body.
_The Small Copper_ (_Polyommatus Phlaeas_)
The only other British member of the genus _Polyommatus_--the Small
Copper--is one of the commonest of our butterflies. It may be found in
nearly all parts of the British Isles from April to September, more
particularly in April, June, _and_ August, for it is apparently triple
brooded.
This brilliant and lively little insect is shown on Plate VI (fig. 9),
and, being so very familiar, needs no description.
The caterpillar feeds on different species of dock--the broad-leaved
dock (_Rumex obtusifolius_), the fiddle dock (_R. pulcher_), the sorrel
(_R. acetosa_), and the sheep sorrel (_R. acetosella_); also on the
ragwort (_Senecio Jacobaea_). It is full fed about three weeks after
hatching, and then changes to a small and stout chrysalis, of a pale
brown colour, on the leaf of its food plant.
The caterpillar itself is green, with a reddish line on the back and on
each side; and it glides over the surface of the leaves something after
the manner of a slug, without exhibiting any very apparent motion of its
short legs and claspers.
_The Tailed Blue_ (_Lycaena Baetica_)
We now come to a genus containing no less than ten species of beautiful
little butterflies, known commonly as the 'Blues;' but one of them
exhibits no trace of the colour so characteristic of the group, although
it resembles the others in structure and habits.
Our first example is the Tailed Blue, known also as the Pea-pod Argus.
The upper side of this insect (Plate VI, fig. 10) is of a dull smoke
colour, exhibiting purple-blue reflections, which are, in the female,
confined to distinct blotches on the bases of the wings, but in the male
are less noticeable, and extend over the whole surface. The hind margin
of the hind wings has a row of spots, more or less distinct, and much
more prominent in the female than in the male. The under side is
beautifully marked with bands of fawn and grey, and with two spots of
brilliant metallic green in the anal angle of the hind wings.
[Illustration: FIG. 87.--THE TAILED BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
This butterfly abounds in the countries of South Europe, where the
caterpillar feeds on the pods of certain leguminous plants; but only a
few stragglers have been taken in England, so that its reputation as a
true Britisher is very uncertain. It is highly probable that the two or
three specimens caught on our south coast were blown over from the
Continent, and that the insect has never bred on this side of the
Channel.
_The Silver-studded Blue_ (_Lycaena AEgon_)
The upper surface of the male (Plate VI, fig. 11) of this species is
purple blue, with a black border on the hind margins of all wings. The
female (fig. 12 of the same plate) is of a very dark smoky-brown colour,
often with a bluish tinge, and has generally a row of orange spots near
the hind margin of the hind wings.
The under side of both sexes is similar, and is illustrated in the
accompanying woodcut. The ground colour is bluish grey, and is marked
with a number of black spots surrounded by light rings. Along the hind
margin of the hind wings is a row of orange spots, each bordered with
black on the inner side, and with a silvery blue on the outer.
[Illustration: FIG. 88. THE SILVER-STUDDED BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
This insect appears in July, and is common in many dry, sandy, or chalky
spots in various parts of England, and also in a few localities in
Scotland and Ireland. It has been reported as abundant at Darlington and
in certain localities in Lancashire, but its head quarters are
undoubtedly the chalk downs and dry gravelly banks of the southern
counties.
The caterpillar feeds on the bird's-foot (_Ornithopus perpusillus_), and
is full grown towards the end of June. Its colour is yellow or grey,
with a brown dorsal stripe, a white line on each side, and pale oblique
lines near the former. About the end of June it changes to a dull green
chrysalis, with projecting wing cases.
_The Brown Argus_ (_Lycaena Astrarche_)
Neither male nor female of this species exhibits any trace of blue. The
upper surface, shown in fig. 13 of Plate VI, is coloured with a warm
brown, and all four wings have a row of orange spots near the hind
margin. The fore wings have also a central black spot. The under
surface, drawn on the same plate (fig. 14), is bluish grey, with a
border of orange spots on each hind margin as on the other side. There
are also numerous black spots in light rings, the arrangement of which
will be seen in the figure.
Some species of butterflies and moths are so variable in their colouring
and markings that varieties have often been mistaken for distinct
species; and, in other cases, distinct species are sometimes so similar
in character that they are looked upon as identical.
A butterfly that closely resembles the normal Brown Argus in many
points, and named _Artaxerxes_, has often been described as a distinct
species, but is now, I believe, recognised by most entomologists as a
constant variety of the present species.
It differs from the normal type in having a _white_ instead of a _black_
spot in the centre of the fore wings, and the border of orange spots is
often very indistinct. On the under side, too, instead of black spots in
white rings, it has white spots, with little or no trace of a black
centre.
The ordinary Brown Argus is a southerner, and is particularly abundant
on the chalk downs of the south coast and the Isle of Wight, but
_Artaxerxes_ is to be found only in Scotland and the north of England;
and it is interesting to note that, between these northern and southern
districts, intermediate varieties are to be met with.
Again, _Astrarche_ is a double-brooded butterfly, appearing on the wing
in May and August; while _Artaxerxes_ is single brooded, flying at
midsummer. This fact has lent support to the opinion that the two are
distinct species; but it must be remembered that several insects that
are single brooded in one country are double brooded in a warmer
climate.
The caterpillar of _Astrarche_ feeds on the hemlock stork's-bill
(_Erodium cicutarium_). It is of a pale yellow colour, with a brownish
line on the back; and is full fed in April and July.
_The Common Blue_ (_Lycaena Icarus_)
Although this pretty little butterfly is so common that it is almost
sure to be known to all who take any interest in insect life, yet it is
important to observe it carefully, since it is an easy matter to
confound it with other species of the same genus.
The upper surfaces of the two sexes are very different, that of the male
(Plate VI, fig. 15) being a beautiful lilac blue; and that of the
female (Plate VI, fig. 16) a dark brown, powdered with blue at the bases
of the wings, and having _generally_ a border of orange spots, more or
less defined, on the hind margins of all wings.
[Illustration: FIG. 89.--THE COMMON BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
The under side, shown in the accompanying woodcut, is ashy brown; warm
in the female, but paler in the male. The hind wings, and sometimes all
four, are bordered with orange spots; and this species may be
distinguished from _Astrarche_ by the presence of two black spots, in
white rings, near the base of the fore wings.
There will be no need to name localities for this insect, as it is
abundant everywhere, frequenting meadows, heaths, and all waste places.
It is double brooded, and is on the wing continuously from May to
September, the first brood enduring from May to July, and the second
from July to the end of the warm weather.
The caterpillar is green, with a dorsal line of a darker tint, and a row
of white spots on each side. It feeds on clover (_Trifolium pratense_
and _T. repens_), bird's-foot (_Ornithopus perpusillus_), bird's-foot
trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_), and the rest-harrow (_Ononis spinosa_).
The chrysalis is short and rounded, of a dull green colour, tinged with
brown on the under surface.
_The Clifden Blue_ (_Lycaena Bellargus_)
Our coloured representations of this beautiful blue (Plate VI, figs. 17
and 18) show that here also there is a great difference between the male
and female. The former is a most lovely and brilliant sky blue, bordered
by a fine black line; and the latter is a dull dark brown, with a more
or less distinct border of orange spots, and the bases of the wings are
powdered with scales of a tint corresponding with those of the male. In
both sexes the fringe is very distinctly barred with dark brown.
[Illustration: FIG. 90.--THE CLIFDEN BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
The under side (fig. 90) is similar in both sexes--greyish brown, with
a border of reddish spots, and a number of black spots in white rings,
the arrangement of which is here represented.
The butterfly frequents chalky downs, chiefly in the south of England,
and seems to be unknown in Scotland and Ireland. The Isle of Wight, and
the chalky downs and banks of Sussex, Surrey, and Kent, are its
favourite localities; and even in these it is generally very local,
sometimes swarming on a grassy bank of no great extent, when the
surrounding neighbourhood, though apparently equally suitable to its
requirements, does not harbour a single specimen. It is on the wing in
May and June, and again in August.
The caterpillar is green, with two rows of yellow streaks on the back,
and a yellow stripe on each side. It feeds on the Dutch clover
(_Trifolium repens_), horse-shoe vetch (_Hippocrepis comosa_), and
various other leguminous plants.
_The Chalk-Hill Blue_ (_Lycaena Corydon_)
The male of this species (Plate VII, fig. 1) is readily to be
distinguished from all other members of the genus by its pale glossy
blue, but the female (fig. 2 of Plate VII) so closely resembles that of
_Bellargus_ that it is often a somewhat difficult matter to discriminate
between them. The following, however, are a few points worthy of
observation: The upper side of the female _Corydon_ has the bases of the
wings more or less sprinkled with the pale silky blue that characterises
the male; and the black bars of the fringe are _usually_ broader in
_Corydon_ than in _Bellargus_. The black-centred spots of the under side
are also usually more conspicuous in the former species than in the
latter.
[Illustration: FIG. 91.--THE CHALK HILL BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
The difficulty of identification is increased by the fact that both
these butterflies frequent similar localities, and are often on the wing
at the same time; but although _Corydon_ is certainly a frequenter of
chalky districts, yet it is often found plentifully in districts far
removed from the chalk, notably at Arnside in Lancashire, and in Epping
Forest.
The butterfly is out in June and July. The caterpillar is green, with
two rows of short yellow streaks on the back, and a yellow stripe on
each side. It feeds on the purple and Dutch clovers (_Trifolium
pratense_ and _T. repens_), bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_),
horse-shoe vetch (_Hippocrepis comosa_), and lady's fingers (_Anthyllis
vulneraria_).
_The Holly Blue_ (_Lycaena Argiolus_)
While all the other Blues delight to sport on low flowery banks in the
full blaze of the summer's sun, the Holly Blue prefers to flit among the
branches of trees, often many feet from the ground. The larva feeds on
the flowers of the holly (_Ilex Aquifolium_) in the spring, and on those
of the ivy (_Hedera Helix_) late in the summer; also on the alder
buckthorn (_Rhamnus Frangula_); and it is in localities where these grow
that we may find this lovely Blue sporting among the branches, or
resting on a leaf with its wings folded together, thus making itself
conspicuous among the dark foliage by exposing the pale silvery blue of
its under surface.
The upper sides of both the male and female are shown on Plate VII
(figs. 3 and 4 respectively), where the beautiful lilac blue will be
seen to have a border of black, wider in the latter than in the former.
[Illustration: FIG. 92.--THE HOLLY BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
The under surface is spotted with black, as shown in fig. 92, and has no
border of orange spots.
This is a double-brooded butterfly, appearing first in April and May,
and then again in August. It is not at all uncommon in the south of
England, and extends northward as far as the Lake District, but is not
found in Scotland. It is generally distributed throughout Ireland.
The caterpillar may be looked for in June and October. It is light
green, with a line of dark green down the back.
_The Mazarine Blue_ (_Lycaena Semiargus_)
The male (Plate VII, fig. 5) is deep purple blue, with a narrow
dark-brown border, and the female (fig. 6 of the same plate) dark brown.
The under side of both sexes is light greyish-brown or drab, with a row
of black spots in white rings parallel with the hind margin of each
wing, and no reddish or orange spots.
This pretty butterfly seems to have been plentiful in several localities
some years since, but has not been seen for a long time; and it is
probable that its reckless slaughter by those who catch all the pretty
butterflies they can secure either for ornament or for gain has caused
its name to be permanently removed from our list of natives.
[Illustration: FIG. 93.--THE MAZARINE BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
It was formerly abundant in Dorset, Hereford, Glamorganshire, and near
Shirley, and was on the wing in June and July, but it disappeared from
our view before a full account of its life history had been prepared.
_The Small Blue_ (_Lycaena Minima_)
We now come to the smallest of all British butterflies--a little insect
that measures less than one inch from tip to tip when its wings are
expanded. Its upper surface is of a dull and dark-brown colour, the
bases of the wings being dusted with blue in the case of the male. The
under side is pale drab, tinged with greenish blue at the bases of the
wings, and marked with black spots in light rings as shown in the
accompanying figure. The upper side is represented in fig. 7 of Plate
VII.
[Illustration: FIG. 94.--THE SMALL BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
This butterfly is on the wing in May and June, and during the latter
month the eggs are deposited on the flowers of the lady's fingers
(_Anthyllis vulneraria_).
The caterpillars are hatched in about a week, and commence feeding on
the calyx of the buds, and soon burrow into them till they are quite
concealed.
The colour of the caterpillar is brownish, with a darker stripe on the
back, and a row of oblique brown streaks on each side.
This species is widely distributed in England, and is plentiful in most
chalky and limestone districts. It is also found in parts of Scotland
and Ireland.
_The Large Blue_ (_Lycaena Arion_)
The last of our Blues is the largest of the genus, and is, with the
exception of _Semiargus_, the rarest. It is a very local insect,
appearing in small numbers, during June and July, in parts of South
Devon, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, and a few other counties.
[Illustration: FIG. 95.--THE LARGE BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]
The colour of the upper side is a dark and rich blue, with a broad dark
border on the hind margins, and a group of black spots near the centre
of the fore wings. The under side (fig. 95) is of a pearly grey, without
any red spots, but having a double border of black spots, and also an
irregular row of black spots in white rings across the middle of each
wing.
The caterpillar feeds on thyme (_Thymus Serpyllum_), on which plant the
eggs are laid singly, generally on the flower heads.
CHAPTER XVI
_THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AND THE SKIPPERS_
Family--ERYCINIDAE
_The Duke of Burgundy_ (_Nemeobius Lucina_)
The family _Erycinidae_ has only one British representative, commonly
known as the Duke of Burgundy Fritillary, but although this butterfly
certainly resembles the Fritillaries in general appearance (see figs. 9
and 10 of Plate VII), its habits and life history present many points of
difference from these.
The upper side is chequered with black and tawny brown, the fringe is
white and barred with dark brown, and a row of tawny spots with black
centres border the hind margins. The under side has two rows of white
spots, one near the base, and the other across the centre of each wing.
The male has only four legs adapted for walking, but the female has six.
The butterfly is out in May and June, and frequents the paths and open
spaces of woods, chiefly in the south of England, but it has been taken
in some of the northern counties.
The caterpillar (Plate VIII, fig. 6) is not spiny like those of the true
Fritillaries, but more closely resembles those of the Blues, being
somewhat of the form of a woodlouse. It is reddish brown, with tufts of
hair, black spiracles, and a dark line down the back. It feeds on the
primrose (_Primula acaulis_) and the cowslip (_P. veris_), and may be
found during June, July and August.
When fully grown, the caterpillar secures itself to a leaf or stem by
means of its anal claspers and a silken cord round its body, and changes
to a short, thick, hairy and light-coloured chrysalis (Plate VIII, fig.
11), which is marked with several black spots. In this state it spends
the winter, and emerges early in the following summer.
Family--HESPERIIDAE--THE SKIPPERS
This family contains eight small species, none of which are remarkable
for brilliancy of color. They are, nevertheless, very interesting
creatures, for they exhibit peculiarities of structure and habit that
render them singular among the butterflies, and seem to show a sort of
cousin relationship with the moths. They have thick bodies that remind
us somewhat of the _Noctuae_. Their heads are broad, so that the antennae,
which are slightly hooked at the tips, are rather wide apart at the
bases. When at rest, they neither press their wings together over their
back like the other butterflies, nor do they set them horizontally after
the manner of the moths, but seem to lay claim to an intermediate
position in the scale of Lepidopterous insects by holding them in a half
elevated position. Their flight, too, is not graceful like that of most
other butterflies, nor even so steady as that of the little flitting
blues, but brisk and erratic, and resembling the fitful motions of moths
disturbed from their slumberings at unwonted hours. Thus they have
earned their popular title of skippers from their habit of skipping
rather than flying from flower to flower. All the three pairs of legs of
these butterflies are fully developed for walking.
The caterpillars have rather large heads, and their bodies taper from
the middle toward both extremities. Like the larvae of many moths, they
hide themselves in leaves which they have rolled and secured with silken
threads; and when about to change to the chrysalis state, they also spin
silken cocoons for their further protection.
_The Grizzled Skipper_ (_Syrichthus Malvae_)
The ground color of this species is a very dark brown, relieved by a
number of square white spots arranged as shown in fig. 11 of Plate VII.
The fringe is wide, and barred with the same two colours, arranged
alternately. The pattern of the under side is similar, but the dark
brown of the upper surface is replaced by a lighter olive tint.
The butterfly may be looked for in May in the open spaces of woods,
particularly in damp places. It is common all over England, and is found
also in the south of Scotland.
The caterpillar is either green or brownish, with a darker dorsal stripe
of the same color, and two white lines on each side. It feeds on the
raspberry (_Rubus idaeus_), the bramble (_R. fruticosus_), and the
strawberry-leaved cinquefoil (_Potentilla Fragariastrum_), and is full
fed about the end of June.
The chrysalis is greyish, spotted with black. It is rather elongated,
and without angles, but has a short and sharp projection extending
backwards from the 'tail.'
_The Dingy Skipper_ (_Nisoniades Tages_)
Colour--a dingy brown, indistinctly barred and spotted with a darker
tint, and having a row of small white spots just inside the fringe of
the hind margins. Under side--a paler brown, with rows of small white
spots.
This butterfly is common in all parts of England, and is found in a few
localities in Scotland and Ireland. It frequents dry banks, and is
particularly partial to the chalky districts of the south-eastern
counties. It is on the wing in May, and a second brood appears in lesser
numbers in August.
The caterpillar is pale green, with two yellow stripes on each side, and
a row of black spots above each stripe. It feeds on the bird's-foot
trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_), and may be found in June, and again in
September.
The chrysalis (Plate VIII, fig. 12) is shaped something like that of the
last species, and is coloured green on the front segments, and a rose
red on the abdomen.
The perfect insect is represented in fig. 12 of Plate VII.
_The Small Skipper_ (_Hesperia Thaumas_)
In briefly describing the various British butterflies no mention has
been made, except in a few cases, of the shape of the wings, this matter
having been left to the reader's own observations of our illustrations.
We will, however, call attention to the somewhat square-cut form of the
wings of _Thaumas_ and the following species.
The above-named butterfly (Plate VII, fig. 13) is a lively-looking
little insect, its wings being of a bright tawny orange colour, bordered
with black, beyond which is a light fringe. The male, which is the sex
figured, is distinguished from the female by an oblique black streak
across the middle of the front wings. The under side is orange, with a
decidedly greenish tinge.
The butterfly is out in July, and is very abundant and widely
distributed. It lays its eggs on various grasses, particularly the
meadow soft-grass (_Holcus lanatus_).
The caterpillar hybernates through the winter, and is full fed in the
following June, when it changes to a green chrysalis after spinning a
light silken cocoon among the blades of grass. The colour of the
caterpillar is green, with six longitudinal white stripes--two on the
back, and two on each side.
_The New Small Skipper_ (_Hesperia Lineola_)
A few years since (1888) a butterfly was taken in one of our
south-eastern counties that closely resembled the well-known _Thaumas_
(or _Linea_), but which turned out to be a species not previously known
in Britain. When, however, the distinguishing features of the new
butterfly were made known, several entomologists discovered that they
had already secured the new prize, but that, being ignorant of its
characteristics, they had placed it in their series over the label
_Thaumas_.
Since the above date, this new insect (Plate VII, fig. 18), which is
named _Lineola_, has been taken in considerable numbers at Leigh,
Harwich, Southend, and near Shoeburyness in Suffolk, as well as in the
Fens of Huntingdonshire; and it is highly probable that it may turn up
in various other localities where it has not yet been observed.
It appears on the wing about the first week of July, a little later than
_Thaumas_, but the two kindred species are often found flying together.
The chief points by which we distinguish _Lineola_ from the last species
are these: The general appearance of the wings is a bit dingier than in
_Thaumas_; the inner portion of the hind wings is of a bright tawny
colour in _Thaumas_ but not in _Lineola_; the tips of the antennae are
yellow beneath in _Thaumas_, but black in _Lineola_; and the black
streak across the fore wings of the latter species is short and
generally broken.
The eggs of _Lineola_ are laid at the end of July or beginning of August
on various grasses, chiefly the various species of _Triticum_, but do
not hatch till the following April.
The larva is full fed about the end of June or beginning of July, and
then changes to a long yellowish-green chrysalis, from which the perfect
insect emerges in two or three weeks.
_The Lulworth Skipper_ (_Hesperia Actaeon_)
Although this species is somewhat similar to the two preceding, it may
be readily distinguished by the heavy clouding of dull greenish brown
that almost covers the wings. The male, which is shown in fig. 14 of
Plate VII, has a black streak across the fore wings, and the female
possesses a semicircular row of tawny spots near the tip of the same
wings, and also a tawny streak near the centre.
This is a very local species, having been found only in a few
localities. At Lulworth Cove and 'Burning Cliff' in Dorset it has been
met with in profusion. In Devon it frequents the rough ground near the
cliffs at Sidmouth and Torquay; and it has also been reported as
appearing at Stratford-on-Avon, Shenstone near Lichfield, and the
neighbourhoods of Swanage and Tyneham.
One can scarcely hope to see this insect at large without making a
special trip to one of its favourite haunts, in which case a day should
be chosen toward the end of July or early in August.
_The Large Skipper_ (_Hesperia Sylvanus_)
During May, June, and August this butterfly may be seen on grassy banks
in nearly every part of England, as well as in certain localities of
Scotland and Ireland.
The wings are all of a bright orange-brown colour, with a narrow black
border, inside which is a broad shading of brown. The latter colour
usually completely covers the hind wings with the exception of about
half a dozen squarish spots; and the same colour, together with the dark
brown wing rays, breaks up the light ground of the fore wings, often
forming several squarish and triangular patches, most distinct near the
tips. The male (Plate VII, fig. 15) may be readily distinguished from
the female by the presence of a thick dark brown streak across the fore
wings.
The under side of both sexes is pale tawny brown, with a greenish tinge;
and has several rather indistinct yellowish spots.
The larva is of a dull green colour, with a dark line on the back. Its
upper surface is dotted with black, and there are white spots on the
under side of the tenth and eleventh segments. It feeds on several kinds
of grasses, some of its favourites being the meadow soft grass (_Holcus
lanatus_), the cock's-foot (_Dactylis glomerata_), and couch grass
(_Agropyron repens_).
_The Silver-spotted Skipper_ (_Hesperia Comma_)
This species is very similar on the upper side to the last, except that
the squarish spots of both fore and hind wings are much paler and much
more distinct; and here, too, the male (Plate VII, fig. 16) is to be
distinguished from the female by a black streak crossing the front wings
obliquely. The under surface has a greenish tinge, more particularly on
the hind wings; and this side is conspicuously marked with a number of
_white_ square spots with sharp outlines, arranged as shown in fig. 96.
[Illustration: FIG. 96.--THE SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER--UNDER SIDE.]
Although common in some localities, this butterfly is not widely
distributed. It is confined to some of the southern and midland counties
of England, and is particularly partial to the chalk districts of the
south-east. On the chalk downs of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex it is
moderately common. It is on the wing during July and August.
The caterpillar feeds on certain leguminous plants, among which are the
bird's-foot (_Ornithopus perpusillus_) and the bird's-foot trefoil
(_Lotus corniculatus_).
_The Chequered Skipper_ (_Carterocephalus Palaemon_)
This is another local insect, more so even than the last, but it
sometimes appears in profusion in certain limited districts. Kettering,
Oundle in Northamptonshire, and Monk's Wood in Huntingdonshire are
places where it has been taken freely. It appears in June.
The wings are chequered with very dark brown and orange. The fore wings
are bordered with small rounded yellow spots, and beside these there are
about nine very conspicuous yellow spots on the fore wing and three on
the hind wing. The arrangement of these markings may be seen in fig. 17
of Plate VII.
The caterpillar feeds on the greater plantain (_Plantago major_).
PART IV
COMMON BRITISH MOTHS
CHAPTER XVII
_SPHINGES_
We have already observed the chief features by which we are able to
distinguish between butterflies and moths (page 56), so we shall devote
the present division to a description of the characteristics and life
histories of some of the latter insects.
The number of British butterflies is so limited that space could be
found for a brief description of every species, but with moths the case
is very different. There are about two thousand known British species of
this division of the Lepidoptera, and every year adds some newly
discovered insects to this long list; we shall therefore have to content
ourselves with making a selection of these for individual mention.
In doing this I shall endeavour to provide the young entomologist with a
fairly representative list--one that will enable him to become more or
less intimately acquainted with all the principal divisions of the
_Heterocera_; and his attention will be drawn especially to many which
may be described as 'common' or 'generally distributed,' so that during
his first few seasons at collecting he may be enabled to identify and
study a fair proportion of his captures. Occasionally, however, one of
the rarer species will be described in order to illustrate some striking
characteristic.
We shall commence with the tribe of _Sphinges_ or _Hawk Moths_.
This group consists of three families--the _Sphingidae_, including the
largest of the 'Hawks,' and the 'Bee Hawks,' the _Sesiidae_ or
'Clearwings,' and the _Zygaenidae_, including the 'Foresters' and the
'Burnets'--numbering in all about forty species.
Family--SPHINGIDAE
This family is named from a fancied resemblance of the larvae to the
celebrated Egyptian sphinx. The perfect insects have very thick bodies,
generally tapering toward the tail, and their wings are rather narrow in
proportion to the length, but are exceedingly powerful, and the flight
is, with one or two exceptions, very rapid. The antennae terminate in a
small and thin hook.
Most of these insects fly at dusk, but a few delight in the brightness
and heat of the midday sun. In either case the velocity of their flight
is generally so great that it is a difficult matter to follow them with
the eye, and a still more difficult matter to secure the insects in the
net; consequently, the best way to study them is to search out the larvae
on their food plants, and rear them till they attain their perfect form.
The larvae of the _Sphingidae_ are large and smooth, and most of them have
a horn projecting from the top of the last segment but one. They all
undergo their metamorphoses under the surface of the ground.
_The Death's-Head Hawk_ (_Acherontia Atropos_)
Our first example of the Sphinges is the beautiful Death's-Head Hawk
Moth--an insect that often attains a breadth of five inches from tip to
tip when the wings are fully expanded. Its popular title has been
applied on account of the peculiar markings of the thorax, which are
said to resemble a human skull; and this feature has certainly some
connection with the superstitious beliefs of ignorant country folk
concerning this moth. But this characteristic is probably not the only
one that has caused the creature to be regarded with superstitious
alarm. Both its superior dimensions and nocturnal habits serve to
intensify the unfounded fear; but, what is particularly striking and
unique about it is its power of uttering a squeaking sound, which it
does when disturbed. Even the earlier stages of the insect possess this
strange power. The caterpillar makes a peculiar snapping noise when
irritated, and the chrysalis has been observed to squeak shortly before
the emergence of the perfect form.
The fore wings of this moth are of a very rich dark brown, beautifully
mottled with lighter tawny shades, and with a small but conspicuous
yellow dot near the centre. The hind wings are yellow, with a black band
and margin; and the body is yellow, with six broad black bands, and six
large blue spots down the middle.
[Illustration: FIG. 97.--THE DEATH'S-HEAD HAWK MOTH.]
The moth is rather widely distributed, and even common in some parts,
but is not nearly so often met with as the larva. It is on the wing
during August and September.
It is probable that the reader will never have an opportunity of
capturing the perfect form of this remarkable species, but he may with a
little perseverance obtain some caterpillars and rear them. These larvae
feed on the potato, the deadly nightshade (_Atropa Belladonna_), and the
woody nightshade (_Solanum Dulcamara_); and they are well known to
potato growers in some parts of the country.
The colour of the caterpillar is generally pale yellow, with numerous
small black dots, and seven oblique violet stripes on each side. The
horn is yellowish and rough, and is bent downward, but recurved again at
the tip.
It feeds during the night, and remains hidden throughout the daytime. In
August it is fully grown, and then retires into the ground to undergo
its transformations.
[Illustration: FIG. 98.--THE LARVA OF ATROPOS.]
_The Privet Hawk_ (_Sphinx Ligustri_)
This is another fine moth, measuring nearly four and a half inches from
tip to tip. It is represented in the centre of Plate IX in its natural
colours, so that it need not be described.