The perfect insect flies in June and July, and, although common, is not

frequently seen at large. The larvae, however, are to be met with in

abundance in privet hedges. Even in the centres of large towns we may

see them resting on the topmost twigs of a privet hedge, their beautiful

green tint closely resembling that of the surrounding leaves. After a

little experience they may be readily discerned by a careful observer,

but there are certain signs by which their presence may be proved before

they have been actually seen. Sometimes a number of the twigs are

completely stripped of their leaves, even the midribs and the leaf

stalks being almost or entirely devoured; and beneath the bushes are

the large black masses of excrement that tell of the marauders above.

When found, these larvae should always be removed on a piece of the twig

to which they are attached, for they hold on so firmly by their claspers

that it is sometimes almost impossible to remove them from their hold

without injury.

These caterpillars may easily be distinguished from those of the other

'hawks' by the seven oblique stripes which adorn the sides. These are

each composed of two colours, white and lilac, and form a pretty

contrast with the bright green of the rest of the body. The horn is

smooth and curved, and is black with the exception of part of the under

side, which is yellow.

They are fully grown in August, and from the end of this month till the

following June the chrysalides may be dug out from under privet and

lilac bushes, both of which are attacked by the larva.

_The Spurge Hawk_ (_Deilephila Euphorbiae_)

This is a very rare British species; in fact, it has never been seen in

this country in its perfect state, but the larva has been found

plentifully at Appledore and Braunton Burrows, in North Devon, feeding

on the sea spurge (_Euphorbia Paralias_).

The perfect insect is shown on Plate IX (fig. 2).

[Illustration: FIG. 99.--THE CATERPILLAR OF EUPHORBIAE.]

The caterpillar is black, with a large number of small yellowish white

dots, and two rows of spots of the same colour on each side. There is

also a red line on each side, and another down the middle of the back.

The horn is rough and red with a black tip. It feeds during August and

September.

_The Small Elephant Hawk_ (_Chaerocampa Porcellus_)

This pretty insect is one of the smallest of our hawk moths. It is

widely distributed, being met with in many parts of England and in the

south of Scotland. It flies in June.

The fore wings are of a dull yellow colour, with rosy-red hind margins,

and a broad border of the same tint on the costal margin. The hind wings

have also a rosy-red hind margin, and are smoky black along the costae,

and yellow in the anal angle. The body is coloured with bright rose-red,

tinged with olive on the foremost and hindmost segments.

The popular name of this and the following species has been applied

because of the power which the caterpillar has of extending and

retracting its front segments, a peculiarity which has given the idea of

a semblance to the elephant's proboscis. The colour of the caterpillar

is light-brown or green, mottled with dark-brown, dark-green, or black.

It has a conspicuous eye-like spot on each side of the fifth and sixth

segments, and has no horn.

[Illustration: FIG. 100.--THE SMALL ELEPHANT HAWK MOTH.]

This larva may be found in July and August, feeding on species of

bedstraw (_Galium verum_, _G. Mollugo_, and _G. palustre_), willow herb

(_Epilobium hirsutum_), or the purple loosestrife (_Lythrum Salicaria_).

_The Large Elephant_ (_Chaerocampa Elpenor_)

This species (Plate IX, fig. 3) is very similar to the last in form and

markings; but is, as its name implies, larger.

The caterpillar, too, is very like that of the last species, but may be

distinguished from it by the possession of a short black horn, tipped

with white, on the 'tail.' Its colour is green or brown, mottled and

spotted with black. The eye-like spots on its fifth and sixth segments

are black, and each contains a brown spot surrounded by a white line.

Its chief food plants are the hairy willow herb (_Epilobium hirsutum_),

three species of bedstraw (_Galium verum_, _G. Mollugo_ and _G.

palustre_), the purple loosestrife (_Lythrum Salicaria_), and the

enchanter's nightshade (_Circaea lutetiana_). It will also feed on the

vine and the apple in confinement.

_The Eyed Hawk_ (_Smerinthus Ocellatus_)

Our next genus (_Smerinthus_) contains three well-known moths, all of

which have the hind margin of the fore wings angulated or indented.

The first is the Eyed Hawk, represented in fig. 4 of Plate IX and named

after the beautiful and conspicuous eye-like spot near the anal angle of

each hind wing.

The caterpillar has a rough green skin, sprinkled with white dots, and

marked with seven oblique white lines on each side, each of which is

bordered with dark green above. The spiracles are pinkish, surrounded by

violet rings; and the horn is blue.

The moth flies during May, June, and July; and the caterpillar may be

found in plenty during August, feeding on the apple, willow (_Salix

alba_), sallow (_S. cinerea_ and _S. Caprea_), poplar (_Populus alba_

and _P. nigra_), aspen (_P. tremula_), and the blackthorn (_Prunus

spinosa_).

As with many other _Sphinges_, the larvae are much more commonly seen

than the perfect insects; but the latter may often be met with resting

on tree trunks and fences in the neighbourhood of their food plants.

_The Poplar Hawk_ (_Smerinthus Populi_)

[Illustration: FIG. 101.--THE POPLAR HAWK.]

This moth is very common and very widely distributed, and may be easily

found in any of its stages. The perfect insect flies during May, June,

and July; and being rather heavy on the wing, it is easily taken with a

net as it hovers round the branches of its favourite trees or among the

flowers of gardens at dusk. The larva may be beaten from the boughs of

poplars and sallows during August and September, and during the latter

month may often be seen creeping down and around the trunks of these

trees, searching for a suitable spot in which to undergo its changes.

The pupa may be dug out of the soil at the foot of the same trees

during the autumn, winter, and spring months.

The fore wings are ashy grey or greyish brown, marbled with darker

tints, with a conspicuous white spot near the centre. The hind wings are

similarly coloured except at the base, where there is a large patch of

brick-red.

The caterpillar is rough, of a pale green colour dotted with yellow,

with seven oblique yellow stripes on each side. The spiracles are white,

edged with red; and the horn is yellow on the upper, and reddish on the

under side. Its chief food plants are the poplar, the Lombardy poplar

(_Populus pyramidalis_), aspen (P_. tremula_), and sallow (_Salix

Caprea_ and _S. cinerea_).

_The Lime Hawk_ (_Smerinthus Tiliae_)

This beautiful moth (fig. 5, Plate IX) is easily identified by its rich

olive green and brown wings, the fore pair of which have very

conspicuous patches of deep olive, sometimes uniting to form a

continuous central bar. It flies in May and June.

The caterpillar is rough, of a pale green colour, dotted with yellow,

with seven oblique yellow stripes on each side. Thus it is very like the

larva of _Populi_, but may be distinguished from that species by the

orange spiracles, and by the horn, which is rough, blue above, and

yellow beneath. Behind the horn, too, there is a flat purple or violet

scale with an edging of orange.

The food plants of this species are the lime (_Tilia vulgaris_), elm

(_Ulmus campestris_), and the hazel (_Corylus Avellana_), from which the

larvae may be beaten in August and September, and from under these the

pupae may be dug out during the winter months.

_The Humming-Bird Hawk_ (_Macroglossa Stellatarum_)

The genus to which this insect belongs contains three interesting

British species. Their antennae are thickened toward the end, but

terminate in a small curved bristle. Their wings are rather short and

broad; their bodies are very thick, terminating in a broad tuft of hair;

and the perfect insects fly during the daytime, delighting in the

hottest sunshine. The larvae feed principally on low-growing plants, and

undergo their metamorphoses on the ground among the foliage.

On Plate IX (fig. 6) one of these pretty moths is shown. It is the

Humming-bird Hawk, so called on account of its exceedingly rapid

humming-bird-like flight, accompanied by a soft humming sound.

This insect is very common; and, being very partial to the attractions

offered by many of our favourite garden flowers, it ought to be well

known to all observers of nature.

Take your stand near a bed of petunias or verbenas, or close to a

honeysuckle in bloom, on any hot summer's day, and you are almost sure

to be rewarded by a peep at the wonderful flight and interesting ways of

this moth. It makes its appearance so suddenly that you first view it as

an apparently motionless insect, suspended in the air, and thrusting its

long proboscis into the tube of an attractive flower. Its wings vibrate

so rapidly that they are quite invisible, and give rise to the soft hum

already mentioned. Then it darts from one flower to another, making a

similar brief stay before each while it sucks the grateful sweets. Raise

your hand as if to strike, and suddenly it vanishes you know not where.

But it is as bold as it is wary, and will often return to the selfsame

flower as if to defy your power. A sharp sweep of your net in a

horizontal direction, or a sudden downward stroke, _may_ secure it; but

if you miss it, as you probably will, it will disappear like a phantom,

and give you no opportunity of making a second attempt.

This moth is on the wing throughout the hottest months of the year--May

to September, and will often greet you as you roam over flowery banks in

search of butterflies.

The caterpillar feeds on the lady's bedstraw (_Galium verum_), hedge

bedstraw (_G. Mollugo_), and the goose grass (_G. Aparine_), and may be

searched for in August and September. It is rough, green or brownish,

and dotted with white. Along each side are two light lines. The horn is

thin and short, rough, and points upwards.

_The Broad-bordered Bee Hawk_ (_Macroglossa Fuciformis_)

The two other moths of this genus are called Bee Hawks from their

resemblance to the humble bee. They are very much alike, but may be

distinguished by a difference in the width of the dark border of the

wings; and are named Broad-bordered and Narrow-bordered respectively.

The former is illustrated in the woodcut appended. The fore wings are

transparent like those of bees, with a dark central spot and a broad

reddish-brown hind margin. The base and costa are black and tinged with

green. The hind wings are similarly coloured, but have no central spot.

The body is olive-brown, with a broad reddish belt, and behind are tufts

of hair, which are spread out when the insect flies, just after the

manner of the tail feathers of a bird. The moth flies in May.

[Illustration: FIG. 102.--THE BROAD-BORDERED BEE HAWK.]

The larva resembles that of _Stellatarum_, but exhibits a violet tint

above the legs. Its horn, too, is curved, and of a reddish or brownish

colour. It feeds on the honeysuckle (_Lonicera Periclymenum_), ragged

robin (_Lychnis Flos-cuculi_), evening campion (_L. vespertina_), red

campion (_L. diurna_), lady's bedstraw (_Galium verum_), and the field

scabious (_Scabiosa arvensis_), during the month of July.

Family SESIIDAE--THE CLEARWINGS

This family contains fourteen very pretty British insects that differ

very much from other moths in many important and interesting

particulars.

Their antennae, like those of the _Sphingidae_, are thickest beyond the

middle, and those of the males are slightly _ciliated_ or hairy. Their

bodies are slender, and terminate behind in tufts of hair. The hind

wings in all cases are transparent, margined and veined with black or

brown; and the fore wings also, in most cases, have transparent bases.

These moths delight in the hottest sunshine, and may be seen gracefully

hovering over the flowers in our gardens, looking more like gnats, bees,

and wasps, than moths.

The larvae of these insects are all wood-eaters, and spend their time

within the stems of shrubs and trees, eating out galleries in the

material that forms both their food and their home. Within these they

also undergo their changes, and do not expose themselves to the free air

and light till they reach their perfect stage.

_The Hornet Clearwing of the Poplar_ (_Trochilium Apiformis_)

We can find space for a mention of only two of the clearwings, the first

of which is an insect that closely resembles the dreaded hornet, and

whose larva feeds in the stems of poplars--features which will account

for the above name.

[Illustration: FIG. 103.--THE HORNET CLEARWING OF THE POPLAR.]

The head of this species is yellow, its thorax brown with a large yellow

patch on each side, its abdomen yellow with two brown belts, and its

legs reddish orange. The front wings are transparent, with brown costae,

and all the wings are margined with brown.

The caterpillar, when full fed, makes a cocoon with silk and the chips

of wood that it has bitten off; and in this undergoes its metamorphoses.

It is fully grown in April, and the moth flies from the end of May to

the end of July.

There is another 'Hornet Clearwing,' the larva of which feeds on the

stems of osiers. It may be distinguished from the species just described

by a yellow 'collar' between the head and thorax, both of which are

blackish.

_The Currant Clearwing_ (_Sesia Tipuliformis_)

This is by far the commonest of all the Clearwings, and only too well

known to those who grow currants. Examine the shoots of _Ribes rubrum_

(red currant) and _R. nigrum_ (black currant), especially those that

present a withered or half-withered appearance, and you will almost

certainly meet with signs of the presence of this intruder. Little

wriggling larvae occupy the pithless stems throughout the winter and

spring. These are full grown in April, and in June the pretty little

moth emerges through a hole in the side of a shoot, leaving the empty

pupa case within its former home.

[Illustration: FIG. 104.--THE CURRANT CLEARWING.]

The fore wings of this moth have black margins, and a black transverse

bar beyond the middle. The body is black, with three pale yellow belts,

and black tufts of hair at the tip.

Family--ZYGAENIDAE

The remaining family of the _Sphinges_--the _Zygaenidae_--includes seven

British species, three of which are known popularly as the Foresters and

the others as the Burnets.

Their antennae are thickest beyond the middle, but do not terminate in a

hook. Their wings are narrow and completely covered with scales.

These moths are very sluggish creatures, spending the greater part of

their time at rest on the stems of low-growing plants. When they do fly,

their flight is short and heavy, and their pretty wings glisten in the

sunshine (for they are lovers of the sun), giving them the appearance of

bees rather than of moths. On account of this natural sluggishness, they

are exceedingly local, for they never move far from the spots where

their food plants abound, and where they had previously spent the

earlier stages of their existence. Thus we often come across a very

limited piece of ground actually alive with them, and outside which not

a single specimen is to be seen.

The larvae, too, are sluggish creatures, with soft and plump cylindrical

bodies and no horns. I will briefly describe three members of this

family.

_The Forester_ (_Ino Statices_)

The fore wings of this species are semi-transparent, and of a beautiful

glossy green. The hind wings also are semi-transparent, but of a dull

smoky tint. The thorax and abdomen are both of a brilliant metallic

green colour. The tips of the antennae are blunt, and the male may be

distinguished from his mate by these organs being slightly fringed or

ciliated.

[Illustration: FIG. 105.--THE FORESTER.]

The caterpillar is dingy grey or greenish, with a row of black spots

down the back, and a whitish stripe on each side. It feeds on the common

sorrel (_Rumex acetosa_) and the sheep sorrel (_R. acetosella_), and

when fully grown it spins a cocoon on the stem of its food plant, and

there changes to a chrysalis.

The larva may be found during May and early June. The chrysalis state

lasts only a few days, and the moth is on the wing during June and

July.

_The Broad-bordered Five-spotted Burnet_ (_Zygaena Trifolii_)

On Plate IX (fig. 7) will be found a coloured representation of this

Burnet. The two crimson spots in the base of the fore wing are very

close together, and often touch. The same remark also applies to the two

spots on the middle of the wing. A glance at the list of British Moths

(Appendix I) will show that we have also a _Narrow_-bordered

Five-spotted Burnet. This insect is very similar to the species now

under consideration, but may be identified by the narrower purplish

margin on the hind wings, and also by the shape of the antennae, which

are not thickened so much near the end as they are in _Trifolii_.

The larva of the present species is yellowish or greenish, with a row of

black spots on the back and a row on each side. It feeds on the

bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_), hop trefoil (_Trifolium

procumbens_), and the horse-shoe vetch (_Hippocrepis comosa_) in May.

Late in May or in early June the chrysalis may be found in a silken

cocoon attached to a stem or leaf; and the perfect insect flies during

June and July.

_The Six-spotted Burnet_ (_Zygaena Filipendulae_)

So common is this moth, and so conspicuous when it flies in the blazing

sun, that it must be familiar to almost everybody. On a bright midsummer

day hundreds may often be started from their grassy beds from one little

patch of ground.

[Illustration: FIG. 106.--THE SIX-SPOTTED BURNET.]

[Illustration: FIG. 107.--THE LARVA OF FILIPENDULAE.]

The colouring of the wings is much the same as in the last species, but

there are two crimson spots instead of one near the tips of the fore

pair.

The larvae may be seen in vast numbers during May and June, feeding on

clovers (_Trifolium pratense_ and _T. repens_), and the bird's-foot

trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_); and in the latter month thousands of the

chrysalides, inclosed in shuttle-shaped cocoons on grass stems, may be

seen on downs and sunny banks in almost every part of the country.

The caterpillar, which is yellow, may be known by the two rows of black

spots that adorn each segment of the body.

CHAPTER XVIII

_BOMBYCES_

This tribe is an important one, inasmuch as it contains those few moths

whose silk is of present or anticipated commercial value. Many of the

British members, even, make silken cocoons of moderate compactness, but

none of them yield a quantity and quality of silk to justify any attempt

to utilise it in the arts.

There are more than a hundred British species in this group, and these

represent no less than seventeen families, which exhibit a great variety

in their general appearance and habits.

Family--NYCTEOLIDAE

_The Green Silver-lined_ (_Hylophila prasinana_)

This family, under the name of _Chloephoridae_, is included by some

authors among the _Tortrices_ (page 298), which they somewhat resemble

in habits. It contains only four species, of which we will take one

example--the Green Silver-lined.

[Illustration: FIG. 108.--THE GREEN SILVER-LINED.]

The fore wings of this insect are pale green, with three oblique silvery

white lines, the middle one of which is far more distinct than the other

two. The hind wings are silvery white in the female, and yellow in the

male. It flies in May, and is common in the wooded districts of the

south-eastern counties.

The caterpillar is pale green, dotted and striped with yellow, and has a

reddish transverse band on the second segment. It feeds on oak (_Quercus

Robur_), birch (_Betula alba_), hazel (_Corylus_ _Avellana_), beech

(_Fagus sylvatica_), and alder (_Alnus glutinosa_), from which trees it

may be beaten in July and August.

Family--NOLIDAE

_The Short-cloaked Moth_ (_Nola cucullatella_)

We select this common moth as a representative of the small family

_Nolidae_, which contains only five British species. These are all small

insects. They are nocturnal in their habits, and may be found at rest on

the trunks of trees during the daytime. The caterpillars are hairy, and

undergo their metamorphoses within silken cocoons.

[Illustration: FIG. 109.--THE SHORT-CLOAKED MOTH.]

The fore wings of _Cucullatella_ are pearly grey, with a dark patch at

the base, a triangular spot on the middle of the costal margin, and wavy

lines beyond this, parallel with the hind margin. The hind wings are

grey, and devoid of any markings.

The caterpillar is of a brownish colour, with a line of lighter patches

down the back, and it is covered with little tufts of hair. It feeds on

the blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_),

and also on plum trees in our gardens during the month of May. The moth

is on the wing during June and July.

Family--LITHOSIIDAE

_The Muslin Moth_ (_Nudaria mundana_)

The family _Lithosiidae_ contains several small moths, distinguished from

the other _Bombyces_ by the narrowness of their fore wings. When the

insects are at rest, all the wings are wrapped closely round the body.

They fly at dusk on summer evenings, but may be obtained during the

daytime by beating the boughs of trees. If an open net be held under the

boughs during this operation, the moths will generally feign death and

allow themselves to fall into it when they are disturbed.

[Illustration: FIG. 110.--THE MUSLIN MOTH.]

Most of the larvae of this family feed on the lichens that cover walls

and the bark of trees, and they conceal themselves so artfully among

this peculiar vegetation that it is no easy matter to search them out;

probably many still remain unknown to entomologists.

Our first example--the Muslin Moth--has light brownish-grey and semi

transparent wings, the front pair of which have darker markings arranged

as shown in the illustration. It is a common moth, and may be met with

in July and August.

The caterpillar feeds on lichens in June. It is of a dull grey colour,

with a yellow stripe down the back, and has numerous little tufts of

light hair.

_The Common Footman_ (_Lithosia lurideola_)

The fore wings of this species are of a leaden grey, with a bright

yellow costal stripe which dwindles to a point just before it reaches

the tip. The hind wings are very pale yellow.

[Illustration: FIG. 111.--THE COMMON FOOTMAN.]

The larva is black, with a reddish line on each side just above the

feet. It may be found during May and June among the lichens of oaks,

blackthorns, and firs, especially in the woods of the south of England.

The perfect insect flies during July and August.

Family--EUCHELIIDAE

_The Cinnabar_ (_Euchelia Jacobaeae_)

The family _Eucheliidae_ contains only four British species, two of which

must receive a share of our attention. The first of these is the

Cinnabar Moth, which is common in all localities where its food

plants--the groundsel (_Senecio vulgaris_) and the ragwort (_S.

Jacobaea_)--abound.

[Illustration: FIG. 112.--THE LARVA OF JACOBAEAE.]

Its colours are so striking that a glance at its representation (fig. 1

of Plate X) will render a written description quite unnecessary.

The caterpillar is a very familiar and conspicuous object. Its colour is

bright orange, broken by several broad black rings; and its body is

thinly covered with hair. When fully grown (July or August) it descends

to the ground, and there changes to a smooth and shining reddish-brown

chrysalis.

The moth appears in June or early in July.

_The Scarlet Tiger_ (_Callimorpha Dominula_)

This is certainly one of the most beautiful of all our moths. Its fore

wings are dark olive green, with a lovely metallic lustre, and boldly

marked with large white and yellow spots. These spots are arranged

generally like those in the illustration, but are subject to great

variation. The hind wings are crimson, with large black patches, chiefly

distributed near the hind margin. The thorax is black, with two white

streaks; and the abdomen crimson, with a black line down the back.

[Illustration: FIG. 113.--THE SCARLET TIGER.]

This moth is a common one. It may be taken in June and July. I have seen

it flying somewhat freely while the sun was still shining brightly.

The caterpillar is very dark lead colour, nearly black; and is covered

with little wart-like projections, from each of which protrudes a short

black hair. There is a broad yellow broken line down the back, and two

others on the sides. It feeds on the hound's-tongue (_Cynoglossum

officinale_) and many other low-growing plants, hybernates through the

winter, and is fully grown in May. Like the other members of this

family, it spins a light silken cocoon, in which the hairs from its body

are interwoven.

Family--CHELONIIDAE

_The Wood Tiger_ (_Nemeophila Plantaginis_)

The _Cheloniidae_ are popularly known as the Tigers--a title suggested by

the tiger-like colouring of some of the prominent species. They differ

from the Scarlet Tiger and the other members of the _Eucheliidae_ in that

the males have ciliated or fringed antennae. The larvae, too, are more

densely covered with hair.

The Wood Tiger (fig. 2, Plate X) is a beautiful insect, somewhat

variable in its markings, but so conspicuously coloured that our

illustration cannot fail to lead to its identification. It may be found

commonly among the undergrowth of our southern woods during May and

June.

The caterpillar is dark brown or brownish black, covered with little

hair-bearing warts. The hairs are long and black on the foremost and

hind segments, but shorter and of a brown colour on the middle of the

body. It issues from the egg in September, feeds for a week or two on

the leaves of violets (_Viola canina_ and _V. odorata_), heartsease (_V.

tricolor_), plantain (_Plantago_), or groundsel (_Senecio vulgaris_),

and then hybernates till the following March. It is fully grown in May,

and then spins a light cocoon, with which its hairs are interwoven,

among the leaves of its food plant.

_The Tiger_ (_Arctia caia_)

This splendid moth is exceedingly variable in its colour and markings,

but its usual appearance corresponds closely with that of the

illustration on Plate X (fig. 3). In some specimens the cream colour

almost entirely covers the fore wings, while in others all four of the

wings are completely covered with shades of brown. This insect is

probably known to all my readers, for it is abundant everywhere.

The larva is as well known as the perfect insect. It is a kind of

universal feeder, partaking readily of almost every low-growing plant,

with perhaps a special partiality for dead nettles (_Lamium album_ and

_L. purpureum_). It feeds also on the lime tree (_Tilia vulgaris_), and

is commonly met with on apple trees and on the various plants of our

flower beds. The young caterpillar makes its appearance in the autumn,

and hybernates after feeding for two or three weeks only. It is full

grown in June, when it spins a silken cocoon, and changes to a shiny

black chrysalis.

The ground colour of the larva is black, but it is covered all over with

long hairs, those down the middle of the back being grey, and the others

brown. This familiar larva is known popularly as the Woolly Bear.

_The Cream-spot Tiger_ (_Arctia villica_)

There is yet another Tiger--the Cream-spot--too beautiful and too common

to be excluded from our list. It is represented on Plate X (fig. 4);

and, like the others of its genus, is so boldly marked that mistaken

identity is impossible.

It is a very sluggish moth, more often seen at rest than on the wing,

and will suffer itself to be roughly handled without making any attempt

to escape.

The caterpillar may be observed on sunny banks, generally feeding on

chickweed (_Stellaria media_) but sometimes on various other low-growing

weeds, including the dock and the dandelion. Its colour is black, with

red head and legs, and its body is covered with long brown hairs. It

commences to feed in the autumn, hybernates throughout the winter, and

is full grown in May, towards the end of which month it changes to a

black chrysalis within a light silken web.

The perfect insect appears in June.

_The Buff Ermine_ (_Spilosoma lubricipeda_)

The _Cheloniidae_ also include three moths that are popularly known as

the Ermines, two of which--the Buff and the White--are exceedingly

common, and are among the constant visitors to our gardens during June

and July.

[Illustration: FIG. 114.--THE BUFF ERMINE.]

The Buff Ermine has all four wings of a buff or ochreous tint, and

spotted with black as here represented.

The caterpillar is whitish, with a white line down the middle of the

back, and its body is covered with long light brown hairs. It feeds on

the dock (_Rumex_) and many other low-growing plants during August and

September, and spends the winter in the chrysalis state, lying within a

loose cocoon on the surface of the ground.

[Illustration: FIG. 115.--THE WHITE ERMINE.]

_The White Ermine_ (_Spilosoma Menthastri_)

In this species the wings are of a pale cream colour, and the dots of

the fore wings are more uniformly distributed than in the last. Its

habits and life history closely correspond with those of _Lubricipeda_,

and its larva may be found feeding on the same plants.

This latter may be distinguished from the caterpillar of the last

species by the dark brown or black colour of the body, and the presence

of an orange line down the back. It is covered with long brown hairs.

Family--HEPIALIDAE

The five species which compose this family are known as the Swifts, a

title which they have earned by their rather rapid flight. Their wings

are narrow, and the antennae very short.

In the larval state they are long, naked and unsightly grubs, that live

under the surface of the ground and feed on the roots of plants. The

chrysalides are armed with short spines projecting from the segments.

_The Ghost Swift_ (_Hepialus Humuli_)

One of the commonest of these moths is the Ghost Swift, which may be

seen in hundreds on waste places in the south of England during the

month of June. The wings of the male are white, with a silky gloss, and

a very narrow brown margin. The fore wings of the female are yellow,

marked with irregular reddish lines. The hind wings are of a dull smoke

colour.

[Illustration: FIG. 116.--THE GHOST SWIFT--FEMALE.]

The larva is pale yellow, with a brown head, and a brown horny plate on

the front of the second segment. It feeds throughout the winter on the

roots of numerous plants, including the dock, dandelion, burdock, white

dead nettle, black horehound, and the hop.

_The Common Swift_ (_Hepialus lupulinus_)

The fore wings of the male of this species are brown, with a bent

whitish streak, sometimes broken, passing from the base to the middle of

the inner margin, and then to the apex. The hind wings are smoke

coloured, with a light brownish fringe. The female is much less

distinctly marked, and presents a rather dingy appearance.

[Illustration: FIG. 117.--THE COMMON SWIFT.]

The larva is dingy white, with brown horny plates on the second, third

and fourth segments. It feeds on the roots of dead nettles (_Lamium

album_ and _L. purpureum_), black horehound (_Ballota nigra_), and

various other herbaceous plants, throughout the winter months, and is

full grown in April.

This insect is abundant everywhere in waste places, and may be seen on

the wing in May and June.

Family--COSSIDAE

The members of this family have longer antennae than the _Hepialidae_, and

the females are provided with extended ovipositors which enable them to

place their eggs in the deep crevices of the bark of trees.

The larvae are naked or only very slightly hairy, and have a plate on the

second segment. They feed on the wood of trees or the interior of the

stems of reeds. The pupae have spiny projections on each segment.

_The Goat Moth_ (_Cossus ligniperda_)

There are only three British species of this family, the largest of

which is the Goat Moth, so called on account of the characteristic odour

of the larva, an odour said to resemble that emitted by the goat.

The fore wings of this fine moth are pale brown, clouded with white, and

marked by numerous wavy transverse lines. The hind wings are somewhat

similar, but of a duller tint, and the markings are less distinct. Its

average breadth from tip to tip is over three inches, and it sometimes

reaches nearly four inches.

The larva is a most interesting creature. It is dark reddish brown on

the back, and flesh colour beneath; and its head is intensely black. It

feeds on the solid wood of the willow, poplar, oak, elm, and other

trees. The infected trees are often so riddled with the burrows of these

larvae that they are completely destroyed, and the presence of the

intruders is frequently indicated by a heap of small chips of wood lying

on the ground near the roots. The odour of the larvae, too, is so

powerful, that there is generally no difficulty in ascertaining their

whereabouts by it alone.

[Illustration: FIG. 118.--THE GOAT MOTH.]

It is not always in living trees, however, that we find these creatures,

for they often feed on rotting wood, such as the remains of old palings

and posts, that lie on the ground in damp places.

[Illustration: Fig. 119.--THE LARVA OF LIGNIPERDA (LESS THAN HALF FULL

SIZE).]

When fully grown they construct a strong cocoon of chips of wood, bound

together by silk, and within this they change to the chrysalis.

The moth emerges in June or July, and is commonly found resting on the

bark of willows and poplars during the daytime.

_The Leopard Moth_ (_Zeuzera pyrina_)

The wings of this species are white and semi-transparent, and marked

with numerous bluish-black spots in such a way as to remind one of the

skin of the leopard. Its body is very long, and the antennae of the male

are doubly fringed for about half their length from the base.

[Illustration: FIG. 120.--THE LEOPARD MOTH.]

The caterpillar feeds on the wood of various trees--elm, apple, pear,

ash, alder, poplar, horse chestnut, birch, lilac, and several others. It

is yellowish, with black shiny spots, and a black plate on the second

segment.

[Illustration: FIG. 121.--THE LARVA OF PYRINA (ONLY PARTLY GROWN).]

The moth appears in July, and is widely distributed. It is attracted by

bright lights, but the best way to obtain it is to search the trunks and

branches of trees that are known to harbour the larvae early in the

morning, and so obtain newly emerged specimens.

Family--LIPARIDAE

Passing over the two small species which are the only British

representatives of the family _Cochliopodidae_, we come to the

interesting _Liparidae_, the remarkable feature of which is that most of

the caterpillars are adorned with brush-like tufts of hair, and even the

chrysalides are hairy.

The perfect insects are not brilliantly coloured, but generally display

very pale tints; and the antennae of the males are pectinated or

feathered.

_The Brown Tail_ (_Porthesia chrysorrh[oe]a_)

The family contains two moths--the Brown Tail and the Yellow Tail--that

are very similar in appearance and habits. Both have white wings, and

their bodies also are white with the exception of the tuft of coloured

hair at the tip of the abdomen, which gives the names to the species.

Their larvae may both be found feeding on the same trees (whitethorn),

and both change to a brown hairy chrysalis within a loose cocoon among

the leaves.

The larva of _Chrysorrh[oe]a_ is black, with four rows of little

wart-like projections on each side, from which proceed little tufts of

hairs. These hairs are reddish with the exception of one row on each

side, which is white. The tenth and eleventh segments have each a

scarlet tubercle, and there are also other small spots of the same

colour on some of the front segments.

[Illustration: FIG. 122.--THE BROWN TAIL.]

The larva feeds on the blackthorn in addition to the tree mentioned

above, and is full grown in June. The moth flies in August.

_The Gipsy_ (_Ocneria dispar_)

The fore wings of the male are smoky brown, with darker markings,

including a V-shaped black mark near the centre. The hind wings are

brown, darker near the margin. The female is dingy yellowish white, with

darker markings arranged as in the male. The male is much inferior in

size, and its antennae are very strongly pectinated.

[Illustration: FIG. 123.--THE GIPSY--MALE.]

The larva is brownish black, finely dotted with yellowish grey. There is

a grey stripe down the middle of the back, and six tubercles on each

segment give rise to tufts of long hair. It feeds on the whitethorn

(_Crataegus oxyacantha_), blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), and various

fruit trees.

The caterpillar is full grown in June, and the moth appears in August.

_The Black Arches_ (_Psilura Monacha_)

The fore wings of the Black Arches are white, marked with zigzag black

lines as shown in our illustration. The hind wings are smoky grey. The

hinder segments of the abdomen are banded with black and rose-pink. The

male is much smaller than the female, and has the antennae strongly

pectinated.

[Illustration: FIG. 124.--THE BLACK ARCHES--MALE.]

The caterpillar is hairy, and of a greyish-white colour. A brown stripe

runs down the back. On the top of the second segment are two blue

tubercles; and there is also a tubercle, of a reddish colour, on each of

the ninth, tenth, and eleventh segments. It feeds on the oak, birch,

fir, and the apple; and is full grown in June or July.

The moth flies during July and August.

_The Vapourer Moth_ (_Orgyia antiqua_)

During the hottest summer months, and particularly in August and

September, a rather small brown moth may be seen almost everywhere,

flying rapidly and in a very erratic manner in the bright rays of the

midday sun. This is the common Vapourer Moth, which may be known at once

by its bright chestnut colour, with darker transverse markings, and a

white crescent-shaped spot in the anal angle of the fore wings. It seems

somewhat partial to civilised life, for it frequents the streets of our

metropolis, even in the very densely populated parts; and the larva is

one of the commonest of the insect forms infesting our gardens and

squares.

[Illustration: FIG. 125.--THE VAPOURER MOTH--MALE.]

[Illustration: FIG. 126.--THE FEMALE VAPOURER.]

The caterpillar is variously coloured; but the prevailing tints are dark

brown, grey, and pink. On the second segment are two long tufts of hair

directed forward, and on the twelfth segment a similar tuft directed

backward. On each of the segments five to eight inclusive is a

brush-like tuft of yellowish hairs. It feeds on almost every tree

usually to be found in parks and gardens.

When fully grown it spins a web on the bark of a tree, or on a wall or

fence, and changes to a hairy chrysalis.

[Illustration: FIG. 127.--LARVA OF THE VAPOURER MOTH.]

The female of this species is wingless, and never moves away from the

cocoon out of which she has crawled, but lays her eggs on the outside of

the silken web, and there remains to die.

The clusters of eggs may be found in abundance throughout the winter

months.

Family--BOMBYCIDAE

This family contains eleven thick-bodied moths, mostly of large size, in

which the predominating colours are greys and browns. Their hind wings

are generally paler than the front pair, and less distinctly marked; and

the antennae of the males are pectinated.

The caterpillars are very hairy, but the hairs are uniformly

distributed, and not arranged in tufts as in the larvae of the last

family.

The chrysalides are inclosed in silken cocoons, but are not hairy.

We shall briefly examine three of the members of this family.

_The Oak Eggar_ (_Bombyx Quercus_)

The male of this species is shown on Plate X (fig. 5). The female is

much larger, and of a pale tawny colour.

The ground colour of the caterpillar is black; but it is so closely

covered with short yellowish brown hairs that the black is scarcely

visible, excepting when the creature rolls itself up into a ring, which

it does when alarmed. The spiracles are white, and there is a series of

white spots down the middle of the back and along each side. It feeds on

whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_), heather (_Calluna_, _Erica_), poplar

(_Populus nigra_), and various other plants and trees.

As a rule the larva hybernates through the winter, is full grown in the

following May, and the moth appears in July; but in Scotland the

caterpillar does not spin its cocoon till September, hybernates in the

chrysalis state, and emerges in the following June. The same is true of

the Cornish Eggars; but along the coast of South Devon both varieties

are to be met with.

The male Eggar seems to enjoy the bright sunshine, for I have seen large

numbers flying over the rugged cliffs of the south-west throughout all

hours of the day.

_The Drinker_ (_Odonestis potatoria_)

The popular name of this species is applied on account of a peculiar

feature of the larva, which sucks up the dewdrop that lies on its food

plant.

The colour of the male is tawny and brown, with a reddish tinge; that of

the female is yellow. The front wing has an oblique dark bar passing

from the apex to the middle of the inner margin; also two white

spots--one in the middle of the wing, and the other between it and the

costal margin.

[Illustration: FIG. 128.--THE DRINKER--MALE.]

The caterpillar is dark bluish grey above, and has a line of orange

spots on each side. Along the spiracles are oblique orange streaks, and

a series of tufts of white hair. It feeds on the annual meadow-grass

(_Poa annua_), and several other grasses. It is a hybernator, commencing

its caterpillar state in the autumn, and reaching its full dimensions

about the end of the following May.

The moth flies during July and August.

_The Lappet_ (_Lasiocampa quercifolia_)

Our last example of the _Bombycidae_ is the Lappet (Plate X, fig. 6), a

large moth, the female often measuring considerably over three inches

from tip to tip. The wings are of a rich reddish brown, and exhibit a

beautiful purplish bloom in a newly emerged insect. Scalloped black

lines pass transversely across each wing, and a small black dot lies

near the centre of the fore wings.

The caterpillar is very variable in colour, but is usually grey or

reddish brown. A deep purple band lies between the second and third

segments, and another between the third and fourth. On the twelfth there

is a small hump, and a pale stripe, more or less distinct, runs along

each side. It feeds on the blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), buckthorn

(_Rhamnus catharticus_), and the white willow (_Salix alba_).

The moth is not uncommon, and is on the wing in June.

Family--ENDROMIDAE

_The Kentish Glory_ (_Endromis versicolor_)

The beautiful Kentish Glory is the only British representative of its

family. The male is shown in Plate X (fig. 7); the female is larger and

similarly marked, but its colours are not so bright.

This moth is not common, but may be seen occasionally in the birch woods

of the southern counties. The males fly rapidly in the bright sunshine,

but the females must be searched for on the bark and branches of the

trees.

The eggs are laid in April on the twigs of the birch (_Betula alba_),

and the young caterpillar emerges early in May. It is gregarious at

first, but loses its social tendencies as it gets older. When full

grown, it is of a pale green colour, with white spiracles, a dark green

line down the back, and an oblique white stripe on each side of each

segment. The sides are dotted with black and brown, and there is a

conspicuous hump on the top of the twelfth segment.

When fully grown it spins a cocoon among the dead leaves beneath the

tree, and in this it spends the winter months in the chrysalis state.

Family--SATURNIIDAE

_The Emperor Moth_ (_Saturnia pavonia_)

Here is another family with but one British member; but in this, as in

the last case, the only representative is a really beautiful insect. The

male _Pavonia_ is shown on Plate X (fig. 8), and will need no written

description as an aid to its identification. The female is larger, and

similarly marked, but the ground colour of the wings is pale grey.

This moth is abundant almost everywhere, and may be looked for in the

neighbourhood of heaths and woods early in the month of May.

The larva feeds on a large number of plants and trees, among which may

be mentioned the willow (_Salix alba_), blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_),

elder (_Sambucus nigra_), whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_), bramble

(_Rubus fruticosus_), heaths (_Erica tetralix_ and _E. cinerea_), and

the meadow-sweet (_Spiraea ulmaria_). Its colour is a lovely green; and

each segment has several pink tubercles, each surrounded by a black

ring, and giving rise to a tuft of short black hairs. The spiracles are

orange.

In the autumn it spins a pear-shaped cocoon of silk, open at the small

end (fig. 28).

It may here be mentioned in passing that, in the case of some of the

larger moths of the few preceding families, the young entomologist is

likely to meet with larvae more frequently than the perfect insect. These

moths, however, are mostly very hardy and easily reared; and a beginner

cannot do better than endeavour to obtain either ova or larvae, in order

that he may be able to watch the different species through their various

stages.

Family--DREPANULIDAE

We now reach a family containing six small moths that differ in many

important particulars from those we have just been considering. They are

of such slender build that a beginner may easily mistake them for

Geometers. Their wings, though small, are broad, and well proportioned

to their bodies. In five cases out of the six the front wings are more

or less hooked at the tips, and on this account the moths in question

are called the Hook Tips.

The larvae are not hairy, but they all have little fleshy projections on

their backs. Their bodies also taper to a point behind, and the last

pair of claspers are wanting, so that they have only fourteen walking

appendages. When at rest they usually fix themselves by their claspers

only, their pointed 'tails' being directed slightly upward, and all the

front segments being also elevated. When about to change, they descend

to the ground, and spin their cocoons among dead leaves.

Two only of this family can receive an individual notice.

_The Oak Hook Tip_ (_Drepana binaria_)

This can hardly be described as a very common moth, but it is fairly

plentiful in the woods of the southern counties of England.

Its wings are yellowish brown, marked with two lighter transverse lines.

There are two black spots between the lines of the fore wings. The

antennae of the male are pectinated; those of the female simple. The

latter sex is further distinguished by the paler colour of the hind

wings.

[Illustration: FIG. 129.--THE OAK HOOK TIP.]

The larva is brown, with a broad stripe, edged with yellow, down the

back. There are two projections on the back of the fourth segment. It

feeds on oak (_Quercus Robur_) and birch (_Betula alba_).

This moth is double-brooded, and may be seen on the wing in June and

August. The larva may be beaten from the above-mentioned trees in June

and July, and again in September.

_The Chinese Character_ (_Cilix glaucata_)

The fore wings of this species are white, with a broad dark blotch from

the inner margin to near the costa. The central portion of this blotch

is marked with silvery spots which are said to resemble Chinese

characters. The hind margin is shaded with a dark grey border, inside

which is a row of dark spots. The hind wings are clouded with grey.

[Illustration: FIG. 130.--THE CHINESE CHARACTER.]

This moth is widely distributed, and seems to be common throughout

England. It is double brooded, the first brood appearing in May and

June, and the second in August.

The caterpillar, which is brown, with two prominent tubercles on each of

the third and fourth segments, feeds on the whitethorn (_Crataegus

oxyacantha_), and the blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_).

Family--DICRANURIDAE

The five British species that represent this family are such interesting

insects that we should like to have given a detailed description of all

of them, but our limited space will allow of no more than an outline of

the general characteristics of the group and a selection of two for

individual mention.

They are thick-bodied moths, and the prevailing colours are white and

shades of grey. The antennae are pectinated in the males, and, with the

exception of the Lobster Moth (_Fagi_), in the females also.

The larvae, like those of the last family, have no anal claspers, and

stand, when at rest, with both ends of the body raised. They have two

'tails' projecting from the last segment. The largest of them (the

Puss), and three smaller species (Kittens) that closely resemble it in

habits, all construct hard cocoons to be presently described; but the

larva of the Lobster Moth spins a light cocoon among the leaves of

trees.

They all spend the winter in the chrysalis state.

_The Poplar Kitten_ (_Dicranura bifida_)

Our illustration shows the arrangement of the white and grey on the

wings of this moth, but the other Kittens (_Bicuspis_ and _Furcula_) so

closely resemble it that it is necessary to point out a mark of

distinction. It will be observed that the fore wings are crossed by a

broad grey band, edged with black. This band, in the present species, is

almost of the same width throughout, its interior margin being almost

straight, and the exterior one slightly concave. In _Furcula_, the outer

margin of the band is generally sharply bent inward just below the

costa. In _Bicuspis_ the grey band varies considerably in shape, but

both this and the dark blotch near the tip of the wing are more sharply

defined than in the other two species.

[Illustration: FIG. 131.--THE POPLAR KITTEN.]

The caterpillar is green, dotted with brown, and has a brown stripe on

the back. This stripe is broken on the third segment, and widens out on

the eighth and thirteenth segments. It feeds on the Poplar (_Populus

nigra_) and Aspen (_P. tremula_).

When full grown it descends to the trunk of the tree, and constructs a

very hard cocoon of a glutinous substance from its own body mingled with

little pieces of the bark that it removes for the purpose. Thus made,

the cocoon so closely resembles the surrounding bark that detection is

very difficult. I have frequently found these cocoons on the inner

surface of loose bark.

This moth is widely distributed, and may be searched for in June and

July. The larva feeds during August and September.

_The Puss_ (_Dicranura vinula_)

No written description is necessary in this case, the illustration

easily serving for identification. This beautiful moth flies in May and

June, and is common everywhere.

[Illustration: FIG. 132.--THE PUSS MOTH.]

The caterpillar is a very interesting creature. It is green, with a hump

on the fourth segment, and a patch of brown from the fourth segment to

the tail. This patch is very wide on the eighth segment, but tapers to a

point on the thirteenth. The two horns are rather long and rough, and

from each of them a very slender pink filament is protruded when the

caterpillar is irritated.

It constructs a cocoon very similar to that of _Bifida_, though of

course larger, on the bark of the tree on which it fed, generally three

or four feet from the ground. It feeds on sallows, willows, and poplars,

and may be found during July and August.

Family--NOTODONTIDAE

_The Coxcomb Prominent_ (_Lophopteryx camelina_)

The family _Notodontidae_ contains several moths of somewhat varied

appearance, but foremost among them are the 'Prominents,' distinguished

by a conspicuous projection on the inner margin of the fore wings.

[Illustration: FIG. 133.--THE COXCOMB PROMINENT.]

Our example of this group is the Coxcomb Prominent.

Its fore wings are brown, with darker markings arranged as shown in the

illustration; and the hind margins are scalloped. The hind wings are

much paler, with a dark brown patch in the anal angle.

The caterpillar is green, with a yellowish line on each side. The

spiracles are black, and there are two small humps on the twelfth

segment. It feeds during August, September, and October, on various

trees, including the oak, birch, poplar, hazel, and alder.

The moth flies from June to August, and is moderately common and widely

distributed.

Family--PYGAERIDAE

_The Buff Tip_ (_Phalera bucephala_)

The first of our two examples of this small family is the common and

destructive Buff Tip. The perfect insect is represented on Plate X, fig.

9, and is too well known to require a lengthy description. During June

and July it may be seen resting on the bark of trees almost everywhere,

with its wings folded closely round its body, and its antennae tucked

under the wings, looking just like a piece of stick, or a projection of

the bark on which it sits.

[Illustration: FIG. 134.--THE LARVA OF BUCEPHALA.]

The caterpillars appear towards the end of June, and may be seen in

dense clusters on lime and other trees, sometimes twenty or thirty

huddled together on a single leaf. As they grow larger they retain their

gregarious tendencies, and often completely strip the leaves from large

branches. They are of a dull yellow colour, hairy, and have seven broken

black lines, one along the middle of the back, and three on each side.

The head and legs are black.

When full grown, they descend to the root of the tree, burrow into the

soil, and there remain in the chrysalis state till the following June.

The chief food plants of this species are the lime (_Tilia vulgaris_),

elm (_Ulmus campestris_), and hazel (_Corylus Avellana_).

_The Chocolate Tip_ (_Pygaera curtula_)

This species is not nearly so common as the last, but is to be met with

more or less in most of the English counties in the month of May.

Its fore wings are light greyish brown, crossed with four transverse

paler streaks, and tipped with a patch of chocolate brown. The hind

wings are pale yellowish grey.

[Illustration: FIG. 135.--THE CHOCOLATE TIP.]

The young caterpillars feed in companies between leaves which they have

spun together, but when nearly full grown they cease to be gregarious.

They are also very different in appearance at different ages. When fully

fed, the larva is of a reddish-grey colour, spotted with black, with a

double row of orange-coloured warts on each side. There is also a little

black hump on each of the fifth and twelfth segments.

The food plants of this species are sallows (_Salix caprea_ and _S.

cinerea_), poplar (_Populus nigra_), and aspen (_P. tremula_).

Family--CYMATOPHORIDAE

This, the last family of the _Bombyces_, contains seven species of

moderate size, the larvae of which are either quite smooth or have small

warty prominences. The seven species are grouped into three genera, from

two of which we shall select a representative.

_The Peach Blossom_ (_Thyatira Batis_)

The popular name of this pretty little moth is given on account of the

resemblance of the pink patches of its olive-brown fore wings to the

petals of the peach flower. It is a moderately common moth, widely

distributed in England and Ireland, and flies during June and July.

[Illustration: FIG. 136.--THE PEACH BLOSSOM.]

The caterpillar is marbled with reddish grey and brown, and has a hump

on the third segment, and a smaller prominence on each of the segments

six to ten inclusive. It feeds on the bramble (_Rubus fruticosus_)

during August and September, and spends the winter in the chrysalis

state, inclosed in a loose cocoon among the dead leaves at the root of

its food plant.

_The Yellow-horned_ (_Asphalia flavicornis_)

This is one of the earliest of our moths, appearing on the wing in

March, when it may be attracted by means of sugar placed on the bark of

the birch (_Betula alba_).

[Illustration: FIG. 137.--THE YELLOW-HORNED.]

The wings are grey, with a decidedly greenish tinge, crossed by three

dark lines near the base, and two others, which are zigzag, just outside

the centre. Between these two sets of lines is a conspicuous round pale

spot. The hind wings are greyish brown, darker along the hind margin.

The larva, which feeds on the above-named tree, is pale greenish, with

both white and black dots. It rolls itself up in a leaf, and seldom

ventures out of the retreat thus formed. It is fully fed in July or

August.

CHAPTER XIX

_THE NOCTUAE_

We have already noticed that several of our moths fly by day; that some

come out of their hiding places at dusk, and settle down again to rest

before the deepest shadows of night fall; and that others prefer the

darkest hours of the night. The tribe of moths we are next to consider

includes the greater number (about three hundred) of our truly nocturnal

species, hence the name that heads this chapter.

They are generally of a somewhat dingy appearance, the prevailing

colours being dull shades of grey, drab, and brown. So closely, in fact,

do certain of them resemble each other, that the greatest care has to be

exercised in the identification of species--a task that is rendered

still more difficult by the variations that we observe in the tints and

markings of certain species.

These moths have generally rather stout bodies. Their fore wings are

somewhat narrow, and, when the insects are at rest, these are brought

close to the body, and the hind pair are folded up beneath them.

Family--BRYOPHILIDAE

_The Marbled Beauty_ (_Bryophila Perla_)

Our first family--the _Bryophilidae_--contains only four British species.

These are small and slender-bodied moths, whose larvae feed in early

morning on the lichens that cover stones and old walls, and conceal

themselves by day in holes and chinks and under stones.

The Marbled Beauty is the only moth of this family that may be

described as common with us. It is abundant in nearly every English

county, as well as in parts of Scotland and Ireland.

[Illustration: FIG. 138.--THE MARBLED BEAUTY.]

Its wings are very pale grey, marked with a darker bluish grey, as shown

in the engraving. These markings are variable, but the bases of the fore

wings have always a dark blotch, followed by a patch of pale grey or

white, extending the whole width of the wing. The moth may be found from

the beginning of July to the middle of September.

The larva feeds from February to April. It is black above, with a broad

orange-bordered stripe down the back; and its body is covered with small

warts, each of which bears a single hair.

Family--BOMBYCOIDAE

In this family there are sixteen British moths, several of which are

exceedingly common. They are much larger than the _Bryophilidae_, and of

a much stouter build. The larvae are covered with little hair-bearing

warts, and are, indeed, often so hairy that they may be mistaken for the

caterpillars of the _Bombyces_.

_The Grey Dagger_ (_Acronycta Psi_)

This is the commonest of all the _Bombycoidae_. It may be found at rest

on tree trunks and palings during the daytime throughout the summer. Its

fore wings are pale grey, with four conspicuous black marks, one of

which--that in the anal angle--resembles the Greek letter _psi_ ([psi])

placed sideways.

[Illustration: FIG. 139.--THE GREY DAGGER.]

The larva is black or very dark grey, with a pale yellow line down the

back, and a black hump on each of the fifth and twelfth segments, that

on the fifth being much larger than the other. It feeds in the autumn on

lime (_Tilia vulgaris_), blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), whitethorn

(_Crataegus oxyacantha_), fruit trees, and various other trees, shrubs,

and herbs.

The moth called the Dark Dagger (_Tridens_) is hardly to be

distinguished from _Psi_. It is not really any darker, and its markings

are almost exactly similar; but the larva is very different.

_The Poplar Grey_ (_Acronycta megacephala_)

This is also a very common moth, to be found in all the southern and

midland counties, wherever poplars abound, during June and July.

[Illustration: FIG. 140.--THE POPLAR GREY.]

Its fore wings are grey, marbled with a very dark grey. A little inside

the middle of these wings, near the costa, is a round spot with a dark

centre. This spot is represented in a large number of the _Noctuae_, and

is known as the _orbicular_. It will be observed that in the present

species it is very distinct.

The caterpillar is dark grey, with a line of black dots down the back;

and it has a number of little warts, bearing hairs. On the back of the

eleventh segment is a rather large pale spot. It feeds during August on

various species of poplar, and changes to a chrysalis in a crevice of

the bark.

_The Figure of Eight_ (_Diloba caeruleocephala_)

The fore wings are brownish grey. Near the middle of the wing, but

nearer the costa than the inner margin, are two whitish spots that

resemble the figure 8. The hind wings are dull brownish grey, with

darker wing rays, and a dark spot near the centre.

[Illustration: FIG. 141.--THE FIGURE OF EIGHT.]

This moth is common in all parts, and flies during September.

The caterpillar emerges from the egg in spring, and is fully grown in

May or June. It is of a very pale colour--yellowish or greenish--with a

broad and broken yellow stripe down the back, and a bluish or greenish

stripe on each side. Its head is blue (hence the specific name) with two

black spots. It feeds on the hawthorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_) and

various fruit trees; and on the twigs of these (especially the hawthorn)

the little clusters of eggs may be seen during the winter.

Family--LEUCANIIDAE

In this family we have a number of rather small moths, with, generally,

no markings on their wings, save, perhaps, a few dots or streaks.

Their larvae feed principally on grasses and reeds, and change to the

chrysalis state either in a cocoon among the food plants, or under the

surface of the ground.

Several of these insects are very common, and most of them abound in

fens and marshes.

_The Brown-line Bright-eye_ (_Leucania conigera_)

The fore wings are yellowish brown. The 'brown line' is a transverse

line parallel with the hind margin, and distant from it about one-fourth

the length of the wing. Another dark brown line, describing a sharp

bend, passes across the wing near the base. The 'bright eye' is a light

spot just outside the centre of the wing, nearer the costa than the

inner margin. This is another of those marks that occur very constantly

in the wings of the _Noctuae_. It lies beyond the _orbicular_ spot, and

is usually somewhat kidney-shaped, and is consequently named the

_reniform_.

[Illustration: FIG. 142.--THE BROWN-LINE BRIGHT-EYE.]

The caterpillar is yellowish or greyish, with a pale dorsal line edged

with black. On each side of this is a broad black line, below which is a

yellow line edged with black, then a whitish stripe, next a yellow line

edged with black on the upper side, and lastly a broad brownish line,

just above the spiracles, edged with black on both sides. It feeds on

couch grass (_Agropyron repens_) and various other grasses, and is fully

grown in May.

The moth flies in July and August, and is common throughout the United

Kingdom.

_The Smoky Wainscot_ (_Leucania impura_)

This same genus includes a number of moths, very similar in general

appearance, and popularly known as the 'Wainscots.' Of these we shall

take two examples.

The first is the Smoky Wainscot, so called from the dark smoky tint of

the hind wings. Its fore wings are wainscot brown, with lighter rays;

and they each have three black dots arranged in the form of a triangle,

one in the centre, and the other two between this and the hind margin.

[Illustration: FIG. 143.--THE SMOKY WAINSCOT.]

The caterpillar is yellowish, with a fine white line down the back. The

spiracles are red, and inclosed in black rings. It feeds on sedges

(_Carex_) from March to May.

The moth is on the wing from June to August.

_The Common Wainscot_ (_Leucania pallens_)

This moth is very much like the last. The fore wings exhibit the same

three dots, but it may be distinguished by the pale colour of the hind

wings.

[Illustration: FIG. 144.--THE COMMON WAINSCOT.]

The larva feeds on various grasses in March and April. It is of a

pinkish grey colour, with two rows of black dots on each side of the

dorsal line. There are also three stripes along the side, two of which

are brownish and the other grey.

The moth is common everywhere from June to August.

_The Bullrush_ (_Nonagria arundinis_)

Our last example of this family is the Bullrush, a moth that is common

in all parts where its food plant abounds.

It is much larger than the two preceding species. The fore wings are

yellowish brown, with three parallel transverse lines of black spots.

The hind wings are whitish, tinged with brown near the hind margin.

[Illustration: FIG. 145.--THE BULLRUSH.]

The caterpillar is of a dull pinkish colour, with a shining brownish

plate on the second segment. The spiracles are black. It feeds inside

the stems of the reed-mace (_Typha latifolia_), and changes to a

chrysalis within the gallery it has excavated, after making a hole

through which it can escape when it attains the perfect form.

The caterpillar may be found in May and June, the chrysalis in August,

and the moth in September.

Family--APAMEIDAE

This large family contains no less than forty-four British species, many

of which are exceedingly common; and of the others only about half a

dozen can be regarded as rare.

Most of them are of medium size, and with one or two exceptions are

dressed in rather dingy garbs; but, although the ground colours are

dull, the various markings of the wings are sharply defined. They may be

searched for on palings and the bark of trees by day, at which time they

repose with their wings sloping like the sides of the roof of a house.

Some are easily attracted by lights, and others partake freely of the

entomologist's 'sugar.'

The larvae have small retractile heads, and feed on low-growing plants,

keeping themselves well concealed on the lower leaves close to the

ground.

_The Frosted Orange_ (_Gortyna Ochracea_)

We commence with one of the brightest members of the family, the Frosted

Orange. Its fore wings are dark yellow or ochreous, with distinct brown

markings, the chief of which are two broad transverse bands. The

orbicular spot is pale yellow and very distinct. The hind wings are

dingy yellow. This moth flies from July to September, and is easily

attracted by a light at night. It is common everywhere.

[Illustration: FIG. 146.--THE FROSTED ORANGE.]

The larva is yellow, dotted with black, with a brownish plate on the

second segment. It feeds inside the stems of a number of plants,

including the marsh thistle (_Cnicus palustris_), musk thistle (_Carduus

nutans_), burdock (_Arctium minus_), mullein (_Verbascum thapsus_),

foxglove (_Digitalis purpurea_), and elder (_Sambucus nigra_). When

about to change to the chrysalis it eats _nearly_ to the surface of the

stem, leaving only a very thin and transparent layer of the epidermis to

cover the hole through which it is to escape when it becomes a moth.

The caterpillars are to be found in June, and the chrysalides in July.

_The Flame_ (_Axylia putris_)

This also is a pretty insect, but much smaller than _Ochracea_. It is

common in most parts, and may be seen flying in weedy and waste grounds

at dusk during June and July.

[Illustration: FIG. 147.--THE FLAME.]

The fore wings are pale pinkish brown, with dark brown along the costa,

and two patches of the same colour on the hind margin. There is also a

double line of small brown dots parallel with the hind margin.

The larva is brown, with one yellow and two white dots on each segment.

There is also a triangular dark patch on each of the fifth and sixth

segments. It feeds during August on the stinging nettle (_Urtica

dioica_), and various other low herbs.

_The Light Arches_ (_Xylophasia lithoxylea_)

The fore wings of this species are very light ochreous, with a light

brown patch on the middle of the costa, and patches of the same colour

along the hind margin; also a row of small black dots parallel with the

same margin. The hind wings are pale ochreous: they are brownish along

the hind margin, and have a light fringe.

[Illustration: FIG. 148.--THE LIGHT ARCHES.]

The moth is very common in waste places, and flies in June and July.

The caterpillar is of a dirty white colour, dotted with black, and has a

black head. It feeds on the roots of grasses in May.

_The Flounced Rustic_ (_Luperina testacea_)

The fore wings are greyish brown, with darker umber-brown markings.

These latter are variable, but the most conspicuous is a series of dark

crescent-shaped spots almost parallel with the hind margin, and

immediately outside these is a series of paler crescents.

[Illustration: FIG. 149.--THE FLOUNCED RUSTIC.]

The caterpillar is dull flesh-colour, with a brown head, and a brownish

plate on the second segment. It feeds on the stems of grasses.

The moth is common throughout the British Isles, and flies in August and

September.

_The Cabbage Moth_ (_Mamestra Brassicae_)

Whatever be your methods of moth collecting, you are sure to meet with

_Brassicae_ in abundance. They swarm round the insect hunter's sugar in

such numbers as to become a positive nuisance. They are also attracted

by light. During the day they may be seen at rest on palings. The

caterpillar is even better known, and with reason, for it is fearfully

destructive to our vegetables and even our flower beds. It burrows into

the hearts of cabbages, filling the galleries it makes with its

excrement, often leaving no very visible outward signs of its presence

within. But its ravages are by no means confined to cabbages. It eats

with more or less relish almost every vegetable and flowering plant of

our gardens, and is equally partial to the various herbs of the field.

[Illustration: FIG. 150.--THE CABBAGE MOTH.]

The fore wings of the moth are dingy brownish grey, marbled in a very

confused manner by darker markings. The _reniform_ spot is very

distinct, the orbicular less so. A light zigzag line runs parallel with

the hind margin. It flies in June and July.

The larva feeds later in the season, and changes to the chrysalis

beneath the soil in the autumn. It is of a dark grey colour, with a

darker line on the back, and a lighter one along the spiracles, which

are white.

_The Dot_ (_Mamestra Persicariae_)

The conspicuous white reniform spot on the very dark marbled fore wings

is always sufficient for the identification of this species.

This moth is out in June and July; and during the latter month lays its

eggs on the elder (_Sambucus nigra_), and the various low plants that

supply the larva with food.

[Illustration: FIG. 151.--THE DOT.]

The larva is greenish or greyish, sometimes with a reddish tinge, with a

light line down the back. The twelfth segment is humped, and there are

dark V-shaped marks on the back of segments five to twelve inclusive. It

is full grown in September, and burrows into the ground to undergo its

change to the chrysalis, in which state it remains throughout the

winter.

_The Rustic Shoulder-knot_ (_Apamea basilinea_)

The fore wings of this species are pale ochreous grey, with light brown

markings; and there is a short dark streak in the middle of the base,

from which feature the specific name (_Basilinea_) is derived. The hind

wings are of a similar colour, but shading into a dark smoke colour at

the hind margin.

[Illustration: FIG. 152.--THE RUSTIC SHOULDER KNOT.]

The caterpillars feed at first on the grains of wheat, on the ears of

which the moth deposits the eggs in June. At harvest time they remain

hidden among the husks, and are often threshed out in large numbers by

the blows of the flail. The cold weather soon overtakes them, and they

then spin a cocoon in which to pass the winter. On the approach of

spring they come out again, and feed by night on various low plants,

hiding themselves among the roots by day. In March they are full grown,

and change to brown chrysalides beneath the surface of the ground.

The moth flies in June, and is one of the commonest and most destructive

of our _Noctuae_.

_The Marbled Minor_ (_Miana strigilis_)

The next three genera (_Miana_, _Phothedes_, and _Celaena_) include seven

small moths known as the 'Minors.' The commonest of them is the Marbled

Minor, which is to be found in abundance everywhere during June and

July.

[Illustration: FIG. 153.--THE MARBLED MINOR.]

This species is very variable, but the fore wings are usually dark

brown, marbled with a lighter colour--white or grey. There is generally

an irregular white or pale grey band crossing the wings parallel with

the hind margin, and two white marks on the inner margin, halfway

between this band and the base. There is also a deep black blotch across

the middle of the wing.

The caterpillar is greyish or greenish with paler lines and black

spiracles. It feeds on grasses in March and April, and changes to a

chrysalis under the ground in May.

Family--CARADRINIDAE

There are only ten British species in this family, two of which are

rare; and most of the others are particularly dingy. The transverse

lines so often seen on the fore wings of Noctuae are generally well

marked. The larvae have short stiff bristles, and feed on low plants;

they undergo their changes in an earthen cocoon under the ground.

_The Mottled Rustic_ (_Caradrina Morpheus_)

We select as our type of this family the Mottled Rustic--a common moth

that may be procured from June to August. Its fore wings are brownish

grey, with darker lines and spots; the hind wings are almost white, but

darker at the tip.

[Illustration: FIG. 154.--THE MOTTLED RUSTIC.]

The caterpillar is brownish grey, with a row of triangular spots on each

side of the back. It is very sluggish, spending the greater part of its

existence among the roots of low plants. It feeds throughout the winter,

except during severe weather, and is full grown in April. The food

plants include teasels (_Dipsacus pilosus_ and _D. sylvestris_), hedge

bedstraw (_Galium Mollugo_), orpine (_Sedum Telephium_), sallows

(_Salix_), and various other plants.

The chrysalis may be dug out in May.

Family--NOCTUIDAE

A glance at our list of British _Noctuae_ (Appendix I) will show that

this family contains nearly fifty species and only three genera. It

includes several very common moths that frequent our gardens and are to

be met with during almost every summer evening ramble.

Most of the species are very dingy, but the half-dozen that comprise the

genus _Triphaena_ are characterised by the bright colouring of the hind

wings. The fore wings are narrow and more or less glossy, and overlap to

a greater or less extent when the insects are at rest; and the hind

wings are folded and completely hidden beneath them.

The larvae are rather thick and smooth, and generally of very dingy

colours. They feed on low plants, often confining their ravages to the

roots, and generally lie well concealed close to the ground or under the

surface.

The pupae are brown, smooth, and shining, and are usually inclosed in

earthen cocoons.

We shall briefly notice a few members of each of the three genera.

_The Turnip Moth_ (_Agrotis Segetum_)

This is another of those destructive insects that attack vegetable and

flower gardens, often doing so much damage to our crops as to become

quite a nuisance to cultivators.

The moth is decidedly dingy. Its fore wings are brown, clouded with a

darker tint. The hind wings are almost white, sometimes with a brown

hind margin.

[Illustration: FIG. 155.--THE TURNIP MOTH.]

In June it lays its eggs on the stems of young plants, generally very

close to the ground. As soon as the young caterpillars emerge they

commence feeding on the lower parts of the stems, or burrowing deeply

into the larger succulent roots. When the larvae have completed their

work of destruction in this way, they change to brown chrysalides in the

ground. Some undergo this change in October, and shortly after give rise

to a second brood of moths; but most of them remain in the caterpillar

state throughout the winter, and, contrary to the general rule with

hybernating larvae, continue to feed almost throughout the winter months,

and change to the chrysalis in the following May.

The caterpillar grows to a large size. It is of a greyish or greenish

colour, with a paler line on the back, a light brown line on each side

of this, black spots between these lines, and black spiracles.

_The Heart and Dart_ (_Agrotis Exclamationis_)

The destructive work of _Segetum_ is assisted by similar operations of

the Heart and Dart, the larva of which feeds voraciously on the roots of

several of our cultivated vegetables, though the present species does

not entirely confine its ravages to the farmer's crops, but attacks the

roots of many low-growing herbs.

The fore wings of the moth are light brown, generally with a reddish

tinge. The darker markings include a large and very distinct reniform

spot, a less distinct orbicular, and a conspicuous longitudinal blackish

streak near the base of the wing known as the _claviform_. Beyond the

reniform a curved and zigzag dark line crosses the wing. The hind wings

of the male are very pale, those of the female darker, with a whitish

fringe.

[Illustration: FIG. 156.--THE HEART AND DART.]

The moth flies from June to August, and is common everywhere. The

caterpillar feeds in the autumn, and reaches its full size in October;

but it is said to feed at intervals throughout the winter. Its colour is

dingy brown or grey, with paler lines on the sides. The spiracles are

black, and there are black dots on the sides.

_The Garden Dart_ (_Agrotis nigricans_)

This is another dingy moth, whose general appearance is so unattractive

that the tyro might be inclined to neglect it. But it must not be

omitted from our selection on that score, for our main object here is to

give the beginner an acquaintance with those species that are most

likely to be captured in the earlier part of his career, and this moth

is certainly one of those that may be described as 'abundant

everywhere.'

[Illustration: FIG. 157.--THE GARDEN DART.]

Its fore wings are dull dark brown, often tinged with red, and clouded

with black. The reniform spot is pale, the orbicular spot less distinct,

and between the two there is generally a rhomboidal dark spot. There is

also a short dark streak near the base of the wing, and a black spot

before the orbicular. The hind wings are pale, but smoky towards the

hind margin.

The caterpillar is brown and shining, with a fine pale line on the back,

and a double white stripe below the spiracles. It is also dotted with

black. It is exceedingly destructive, feeding on clovers (_Trifolium

pratense_ and _T. repens_) and various low plants in May and June.

The moth flies from June to August.

_The Flame Shoulder_ (_Noctua plecta_)

As our example of the next genus we take the Flame Shoulder, a rather

small moth, easily identified by the broad yellowish-white streak along

the costa of the reddish-brown fore wings. The orbicular and reniform

spots are margined with white, and a thin white streak runs from the

base of the wing to the former. The hind wings are white. This moth

flies in July, and is common throughout Great Britain.

[Illustration: FIG. 158.--THE FLAME SHOULDER.]

The caterpillar is reddish brown, with a slender line of white dots on

the back, and a similar line on each side. The body is smooth and

velvety, and is netted and dotted all over with dark brown. It feeds on

the lady's bedstraw (_Galium verum_), sweet woodruff (_Asperula

odorata_), and many other low plants; and is full fed early in July.

_The Lesser Broad Border_ (_Triphaena ianthina_)

We now come to the third and last genus (_Triphaena_) of this extensive

family, a genus which includes six interesting moths, with bright orange

or yellow hind wings. Of these we shall take three examples.

[Illustration: FIG. 159.--THE LESSER BROAD BORDER.]

The first of them--the Lesser Broad Border--has fore wings of a rich

reddish or violet brown, with paler markings. The hind wings are bright

orange, with a broad marginal band of black.

It is a common moth, particularly in the south-western counties, and

flies during July and August.

The caterpillar is of a dingy yellowish or greenish grey, with a light

line down the back, and two black spots on each side of segments nine to

twelve inclusive. It feeds throughout the winter by night on dead

nettles (_Lamium purpureum_ and _L. album_), primrose (_Primula

acaulis_), whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_), blackthorn (_Prunus

spinosa_), and various low plants; and may sometimes be seen in flower

gardens. It is full grown in April.

_The Lesser Yellow Underwing_ (_Triphaena Comes_)

This insect is very similar to the last, but is larger. The fore wings

are also of a greyish or ochreous brown, and the black margin of the

hind wings is proportionately narrower.

[Illustration: FIG. 160.--THE LESSER YELLOW UNDERWING.]

It is more abundant than _Ianthina_; in fact it is to be found

everywhere in plenty during the month of July.

The caterpillar is yellowish brown. On the back of each of the eleventh

and twelfth segments are two conspicuous dark marks. The spiracles are

white, and below them is a pale brown stripe. It feeds on the foxglove

(_Digitalis purpurea_), chickweed (_Stellaria media_), thrift (_Armeria

maritima_), and other low plants in the autumn, hybernates during the

winter, and attacks sallows (_Salix Caprea_ and _S. cinerea_) and

whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_) as soon as the buds appear in the

spring. It is full grown in April, and then changes to a chrysalis on

the surface of the earth.

_The Large Yellow Underwing_ (_Triphaena Pronuba_)

This is by far the commonest moth of the genus, and may be found

everywhere, in town and country, from June to August. It is represented

on Plate XI (fig. 1), but its fore wings are very variable, sometimes a

cold dingy grey, but often of an exceedingly rich and warm brown. On the

costal margin, not far from the tip, there is always a small black spot,

which will serve to distinguish it from _Comes_.

The caterpillar (fig. 21) feeds throughout the winter on the roots of

almost every plant in our gardens; and, during the warmer weather of the

autumn and spring, on stems and leaves. It is full grown early in the

summer, and then changes to a chrysalis in the ground. Its colour is

dirty yellowish or greenish grey, with a row of dark spots on each

side.

Family--AMPHIPYRIDAE

_The Gothic_ (_Mania typica_)

The above family contains only four British species, two of which we

shall briefly consider.

[Illustration: FIG. 161.--THE GOTHIC.]

The first of these is the Gothic--a very common moth that may be seen

everywhere about midsummer. Its fore wings are brown with darker

marblings, and there are numerous lighter markings which may be easily

made out by reference to the accompanying woodcut.

The caterpillar is smooth and velvety, of a dull brown or greenish

colour, with darker dorsal and side stripes. The latter are crossed

obliquely by a series of whitish lines. It feeds on fruit and other

trees in clusters when very young in early autumn, and afterwards

descends and feeds on low plants. It hybernates in the winter, and feeds

again on low plants in the spring. When full grown it burrows into the

soil to undergo its changes.

_The Old Lady_ (_Mania Maura_)

This fine moth is so very different from the last in appearance that the

reason for placing the two in the same genus is not apparent till the

earlier stages and life history have been studied. All its wings are

very deep brown; the front pair has a darker band containing the

orbicular and reniform spots, and the hind pair a lighter band across

the middle.

[Illustration: FIG. 162.--THE OLD LADY.]

It is a common moth, often to be found at rest by day in outhouses and

sheds. It flies in July and August.

The caterpillar is dark purple or umber brown, with darker and lighter

markings. It feeds in the autumn on fruit trees, and hybernates during

the winter. In the spring it feeds again on low plants, and changes to a

chrysalis in May under the ground.

Family--ORTHOSIIDAE

This is a large family of over thirty species, most of them of rather

small size, which make their appearance, with two exceptions, either in

early spring or in late autumn, often attracted in the former season by

the sallow blossom, and in the latter by ivy bloom.

Several of them are very common insects, that are almost sure to be

taken by a young collector during his first season.

The fore wings of these moths are more or less pointed at the tip, and

the usual lines and spots are generally distinct. The males may be

distinguished from the females by their antennae, which are always more

or less ciliated.

The caterpillars are smooth and velvety, and feed by night; and the pupae

are inclosed in cocoons constructed of earth and silk.

_The Common Quaker_ (_Taeniocampa stabilis_)

Several of the species of the family are known popularly as Quakers, the

commonest of which--_Stabilis_--is abundant in all parts.

Its fore wings are grey, with generally either an ochreous or reddish

tinge. The orbicular and reniform spots are outlined with a paler

colour, and there is a pale transverse line parallel with the hind

margin, outside which is a row of indistinct black spots. The hind wings

are greyish brown.

[Illustration: FIG. 163.--THE COMMON QUAKER.]

The caterpillar is green and velvety, with a yellowish line on the back

and on each side; and a yellow band crosses the back of the twelfth

segment transversely. It feeds during June and July on oak (_Quercus

Robur_) and elm (_Ulmus campestris_), and changes to a chrysalis in

August on the surface of the ground. In this state it remains throughout

the winter, and the moth emerges in March or April.

_The Chestnut_ (_Cerastis Vaccinii_)

Unfortunately our space will not allow us to notice the whole of even

the very common moths, so, passing over a few with great reluctance, we

come to the familiar Chestnut, which may be seen at large in October and

November, and sometimes even in December, and again appears, after a

rather short period of hybernation, in February and March.

[Illustration: FIG. 164.--THE CHESTNUT.]

The fore wings are reddish brown, with darker wavy lines. The orbicular

and reniform spots have pale outlines, and the lower half of the latter

is very dark grey. The hind wings are smoky grey, with generally a pale

band beyond the middle.

The caterpillar is dark brown, with very indistinct lighter lines. The

spiracles are black, and inclosed in a yellowish grey stripe. It feeds

during June and July on the elm (_Ulmus campestris_), oak (_Quercus

Robur_), and sallow (_Salix caprea_), and various low plants.

_The Pink-barred Sallow_ (_Xanthia Flavago_)

This moth is not nearly so common as the preceding species, but has been

taken more or less in all parts of England.

Its fore wings are orange yellow, with purplish markings arranged as

represented in fig. 165. The hind wings are yellowish white.

[Illustration: FIG. 165.--THE PINK-BARRED SALLOW.]

The caterpillar is brown, with a lateral stripe formed by numerous red,

yellow and white dots. It feeds on sallow (_Salix caprea_) and various

low plants.

It is full grown in June, and the moth appears in September.

Family--COSMIIDAE

_The Dun-bar_ (_Calymnia trapezina_)

Our example of this family is the Dun-bar, common everywhere during July

and August.

Its fore wings are greyish ochreous, with a darker band across the

middle. On each side of this band is a white line margined with dark

grey, and there is a row of black spots along the hind margin. The hind

wings are smoky brown, becoming paler towards the base.

[Illustration: FIG. 166.--THE DUN-BAR.]

The caterpillar feeds on oak (_Quercus Robur_), hornbeam (_Carpinus

Betulus_), and birch (_Betula alba_), and may be found in abundance

during May and June. It is green, with dark spots, and white lines on

the back and sides. Although it partakes of the leaves of the

above-named trees, yet its chief food seems to be other caterpillars,

for it devours these with a savage greediness that is simply

astonishing. It will chase an unfortunate caterpillar, seize it by the

neck with a fatal grip, and rapidly devour it. Its chief prey seems to

be the larva of the Winter Moth (_Brumata_).

Family--HADENIDAE

Nearly fifty British _Noctuae_ are included in the family _Hadenidae_.

They are of variable dimensions, and differ much in the brightness of

their colours, some being very dingy, and others gaily tinted. Their

antennae are rather long; and when at rest the wings slope from the back

like the sides of a roof.

The larvae are smooth, and not very thick; and there is sometimes a hump

on the twelfth segment. The pupae are brown and shiny, and are inclosed

in earthen cocoons beneath the surface of the soil.

_The Broad-barred White_ (_Hecatera serena_)

Although not gaily coloured, this is a pretty little moth, there being a

bright contrast between the white ground and the grey markings of the

wings. It is common in the south of England, and seems to be plentiful

in and around London.

[Illustration: FIG. 167.--THE BROAD-BARRED WHITE.]

The caterpillar is of a dingy greenish colour, with a yellowish stripe

on each side of the back; and there are two distinct dots on the back of

each segment. It feeds during July and August on sow-thistles (_Sonchus

oleraceus_ and _S. arvensis_), sleepwort (_Lactuca virosa_), and

hawkweeds (_Hieracia_).

The moth flies in June and July.

_The Marvel-du-jour_ (_Agriopis Aprilina_)

The Marvel-du-jour is decidedly a beautiful moth--quite an exception

among the _Noctuae_ in this respect, and it is withal both common and

widely distributed. We need not describe it, since it is represented on

Plate XI (fig. 2), and can hardly be mistaken for any other species.

The caterpillar is dull green, often tinged with red. The dorsal line is

broad and dark, and interrupted by a series of very light lozenge-shaped

spots. It feeds on the oak in May and June, and is full grown in the

latter month. It then burrows into the earth at the foot of the tree,

and there constructs a fragile earthen cocoon previous to changing to a

chrysalis.

From July to September the chrysalides may be obtained in plenty by

breaking up the sods at the roots of oaks, and the perfect insect may be

found toward the end of September and throughout October.

_The Small Angle Shades_ (_Euplexia lucipara_)

This pretty little moth is represented in fig. 3 of Plate XI. It is very

common throughout the country, and may be seen in June and July.

The caterpillar is thickest on the twelfth segment, and gradually tapers

from this towards the head. Its colour is pale green, with a white

stripe just below the spiracles, which are black. On each side of the

back are a number of oblique lines, which meet in the middle line, thus

forming a series of V-shaped marks pointing towards the tail. It feeds

on the common bracken fern (_Pteris aquilina_), foxglove (_Digitalis

purpurea_), and the male fern (_Lastraea Filix-mas_), in August and

September.

_The Angle Shades_ (_Phlogophora Meticulosa_)

[Illustration: FIG. 168.--THE ANGLE SHADES.]

This moth is so common and so widely distributed that it is almost sure

to be taken by the young collector during his first season. Its wings

are scalloped on the hind margin, and their colour light ochreous, often

tinged with pink or olive green, and marked with dark brown as shown in

the illustration. It is double brooded, the first brood appearing in May

and June, and the second in September and October.

The caterpillar is green or olive brown, and thickly covered with white

spots. It feeds on groundsel (_Senecio vulgaris_) and many other low

plants, the first brood throughout the winter from November to April,

and the second in July and August.

_The Grey Arches_ (_Aplecta nebulosa_)

The fore wings of this moth vary from greyish white to a rather dark

smoky tint. The markings are of a darker colour, and are also subject to

considerable variation. The orbicular and reniform spots are large, and

paler than the ground colour; and several zigzag or scalloped lines,

more or less distinct, cross the wings transversely.

[Illustration: FIG. 169.--THE GREY ARCHES.]

The larva is brown, with a lighter line down the back. On each of the

segments five to eleven is a dark lozenge-shaped spot, bisected by the

dorsal line; and on the second segment is a shining plate and a

triangular mark. It feeds on the dock (_Rumex_), and various other low

plants during the autumn; and, after its hybernation, on the leaves of

the sallow (_Salix Caprea_), birch (_Betula alba_), and whitethorn

(_Crataegus oxyacantha_). It is full grown in May, when it burrows into

the ground to undergo its metamorphoses.

The moth flies during June and July, and is common in nearly every part

of Great Britain. Large numbers may be obtained by searching fences and

tree trunks about midsummer.

_The Shears_ (_Hadena dentina_)

The Shears is another very common moth of the same family. The ground

colour of the fore wings is very variable, but is generally a lighter or

darker shade of grey. Sometimes, however, it has a very decided brownish

tinge. Across the centre of the wing is a darker band, wider on the

costal side, containing the orbicular and reniform spots, as well as a

light patch beneath them, and bordered on each side by a pale zigzag

line. There is another similar line near to and parallel with the hind

margin. The hind wings are smoky grey or smoky brown, darker towards the

hind margin.

[Illustration: FIG. 170.--THE SHEARS.]

The caterpillar is greyish, and has a series of triangular black spots

along each side of the back. It feeds on the roots of the dandelion

(_Taraxacum officinale_), and changes to a peculiar spiny chrysalis.

The perfect insect appears to be abundant everywhere, and is on the wing

in June and July.

_The Bright-line Brown-eye_ (_Hadena oleracea_)

Every collector is sure to meet with this insect during his first

season. The moth is abundant everywhere in June, the caterpillar may be

found feeding in almost every waste and weedy spot in August and

September, and the chrysalis is certain to be turned over by the pupa

digger.

[Illustration: FIG. 171.--THE BRIGHT-LINE BROWN-EYE.]

The fore wings of the perfect insect are reddish brown. The orbicular

spot is usually very indistinct, being of almost exactly the same tint

as the ground colour, and surrounded by a very fine whitish line. The

reniform is generally more conspicuous, a portion of it being of a light

ochreous colour. Near the hind margin, and parallel with it, is a white

line, bent sharply into the form of a W, just on the anal side of the

middle.

The hind wings are greyish brown in the base, and dark smoke colour

towards the margin.

The caterpillar is pale green or brown, dotted with both black and

white, and adorned with a bright yellow line just below the spiracles.

It feeds on the nettle (_Urtica dioica_), dock (_Rumex_), and many other

low plants; and, according to some observers, on the elm (_Ulmus

campestris_).

Family--XYLINIDAE

The next family--_Xylinidae_--contains twenty British species, several of

which are local, but two or three are abundant and widely distributed.

The transverse lines that so often cross the wings of the _Noctuae_ are

nearly or entirely absent in this family, and longitudinal lines take

their place. When the insects are at rest the wings are folded rather

closely, the outer pair being arranged like a roof with a very gentle

slope. The bodies of the perfect insects are very stout, particularly in

the thorax, and thus present a rather powerful appearance.

The larvae are smooth, and generally brightly coloured, and feed

principally on low plants. The chrysalides are generally inclosed in

cocoons on or beneath the ground, and are often provided with spines or

bristles on the under side.

We shall select two members of this family.

_The Early Grey_ (_Xylocampa Areola_)

One of the first of the _Noctuae_ to greet us in the spring is the Early

Grey, which may be found resting on fences in April, and, if the season

is mild, in March.

[Illustration: FIG. 172.--THE EARLY GREY.]

Its fore wings are light grey, often tinged with rose pink, and marked

with dark grey. The orbicular and reniform spots are very distinct, and

surrounded by a pale line; they are both united at their lower edges.

Along the hind margin is a series of dark spots. The hind wings are pale

yellowish grey, with a darker central spot, a central transverse darker

line, and a darker line along the hind margin.

The caterpillar is yellowish grey. The dorsal line is lighter, and

passes through a brownish spot on the eighth segment. It feeds on the

honeysuckle (_Lonicera Periclymenum_) in July and August, being full

grown towards the end of the latter month.

_The Shark_ (_Cucullia umbratica_)

The Shark is a very common moth, to be found everywhere on palings in

June, but the colour of its wings so closely resembles that of oak and

other light-wood fences that detection is not so easy as with most other

moths.

[Illustration: FIG. 173.--THE SHARK.]

The fore wings are grey, and marked with longitudinal dark lines, the

principal of which is a line from the middle of the base to about the

centre of the wing. The wing rays are also darker than the ground

colour. The hind wings are greyish white or brownish grey.

The caterpillar is very dark brown, with orange spots on the back and

along the spiracles. It feeds on sow-thistles (_Sonchus oleraceus_, _S.

palustris_, and _S. arvensis_) and sleepwort (_Lactuca virosa_) at night

from July to September, and hides during the daytime among the leaves

that lie close against the ground. When disturbed it does not roll into

a ring or feign death like many others of its kind, but wriggles about

most vigorously as if to repel its foe.

Family--GONOPTERIDAE

_The Herald Moth_ (_Gonoptera Libatrix_)

The above-mentioned family is so called on account of the angular

margins of the wings, especially the fore pair. It contains only one

British species, the Herald (Plate XII, fig. 1), a moth that is common

everywhere in August and September. It hybernates in the perfect state,

and the hybernated specimens may be seen in the spring time, from March

up to the end of May or the beginning of June.

Its fore wings are reddish grey, thickly spotted and streaked with

brown. Transverse whitish lines divide the base into three parts of

nearly equal widths. The basal and central divisions are tinged with

orange; and there is a small white spot in the base close to the thorax,

also another near the centre of the wing. The hind wings are brownish

grey.

The caterpillar is green and velvety, with a whitish stripe on the side,

and yellow spiracles. It feeds on willow (_Salix alba_) and sallow

(_Salix caprea_); and when full grown, about the end of June, it spins a

white silken cocoon between leaves of its tree, and changes to a very

dark chrysalis.

Family--PLUSIIDAE

The most peculiar feature of the moths of this family is the tufts of

hair that stand up perpendicularly on the top of the thorax. The abdomen

also is crested, and the fore wings of several species have smooth

patches that display a brilliant metallic lustre.

Most of the larvae may be described as semi-loopers, for their claspers

number only three pairs, and when they walk their backs are considerably

humped, somewhat after the fashion of the _Geometrae_. Some of them

further imitate the _Geometrae_ in their position of rest, holding on by

their claspers only, with body straightened out at an angle with the

leaf or twig on which they support themselves.

Unlike the majority of the _Noctuae_, they do not descend to the ground

when about to change, but spin a silken cocoon among the food plants.

_The Burnished Brass_ (_Plusia Chrysitis_)

One of the commonest of the _Plusiidae_ is the Burnished Brass, so called

on account of the large patches of bright golden green on the fore

wings. The hind margin of these wings is very gracefully curved, and

bordered with brown. A brown blotch fills the base of the wing, and the

remaining area is of a beautiful metallic greenish yellow, broken by two

large brown blotches, one on the costal and the other on the inner

margin, which closely approach each other and sometimes meet.

[Illustration: FIG. 174.--THE BURNISHED BRASS.]

This moth is very common everywhere, and is one of the frequent visitors

to our flower gardens from June to August.

The caterpillar is thickest at the twelfth segment, and tapers from this

point. Its colour is pale green. It has no longitudinal stripes on the

back, but each segment is adorned with four or six oblique white marks.

Just above the spiracles is a white stripe. It feeds on the dead nettle

(_Lamium album_), stinging nettle (_Urtica dioica_), and burdock

(_Arctium minus_), and is full grown in June.

_The Silver_ Y (_Plusia Gamma_)

Our second example of this family is the Silver Y, which may be found in

abundance everywhere from June to October. Its fore wings are of a shiny

grey colour, beautifully marbled with a rich dark brown; and just below

the orbicular spot is a brilliant silvery spot, in form something like

the Greek letter [gamma] placed obliquely. The base of the hind wings is

grey; along the margin is a broad and dark smoky brown band, and the

fringe is very light grey, barred with the dark tint of the band. This

moth is commonly driven out of its hiding places among low plants as we

walk in waste places, and when thus disturbed it takes a short and rapid

flight, generally disappearing so suddenly among the herbage that it is

difficult to locate it correctly.

[Illustration: FIG. 175.--THE SILVER Y.]

The caterpillar is thickest at the twelfth segment, and tapers gradually

from this point towards the head. Its body is green, with several thin

longitudinal white stripes, and a thin yellow stripe along the

spiracles. It may be found from June to October, feeding on many kinds

of low plants.

Family--EUCLIDIIDAE

_The Mother Shipton_ (_Euclidia Mi_)

Passing over a few small and less important families, we come to the

_Euclidiidae_, which contains only two British moths. One of these is the

Mother Shipton, a very common insect that flies in June.

The fore wings of this species are very dark brown with whitish

markings. The latter include a peculiarly tortuous line, the character

of which will be made out more easily from our illustration (Plate XI,

fig. 4) than from a written description. The hind wings are also very

dark brown, and rather prettily spotted with an ochreous tint.

The caterpillar is pale grey, with four white stripes, and has only

three pairs of claspers. It feeds in May on clovers (_Trifolium

pratense_ and _T. repens_) and other plants.

Family--CATOCALIDAE

This family contains only four British species, but these few are very

striking moths. They are of large size; and, unlike the _Noctuae_

generally, the chief adornment is reserved for the under wings. When at

rest, the outer or fore wings completely hide the other pair, and then

their general appearance is dull, though if closely examined it will be

observed that these outer wings are really beautifully marbled with

shades of grey.

The caterpillars of this family are very peculiar creatures. Their

bodies are convex above and flattened beneath; and if disturbed as they

rest on the bark of a tree, instead of leaving their hold and rolling

into a ring like so many other larvae of _Noctuae_, they apply themselves

the closer, and hold on as if to defy our attempts to remove them.

Another peculiarity of these larvae is the possession of fleshy

projections along the sides, just above the legs. They feed on the

leaves of trees, and when about to rest they descend to the trunk, and

there remain protected by their imitative colouring, detection being

rendered even more difficult by the close application of their flattened

under surface to the bark. Before changing to the chrysalis state, they

spin a light cocoon among the leaves or on the bark.

_The Clifden Nonpareil_ (_Catocala Fraxini_)

This is the largest of the family, and, indeed, of all British _Noctuae_.

The fore wings and thorax are light grey, dotted and marbled with darker

grey (see fig. 5, Plate XI); and the thorax and abdomen are banded with

black and greyish blue.

The young entomologist can hardly expect to meet with this fine insect,

for it is very rare, and it is only occasionally that a specimen is seen

in Britain; but its characteristics are so striking that we have

endeavoured to find it a place here. Reputed British specimens of

_Fraxini_ command the price of a few pounds each, but specimens from the

other side of the Channel may be obtained for a few pence. With such

rarities we should advise a young entomologist to purchase the foreign

specimen rather than adopt the two other alternatives--give an

exorbitant price for a supposed Britisher, or else remain a stranger to

the gem, but all foreign specimens should be labelled according to their

nationalities.

_The Red Underwing_ (_Catocala Nupta_)

The other three members of the family are very similar in appearance,

the fore wings of all being marbled with shades of grey, relieved by

touches of black and brown; and the hind wings, red or crimson, give the

popular names to the species.

The Red Underwing flies in August and September, and is common in the

southern counties of England, as well as in some of the midland

counties; it may be often seen flying by day around willows.

[Illustration: FIG. 176.--THE RED UNDERWING.]

The caterpillar is similar in form to that of _Fraxini_, and when at

rest by day on the bark of its tree it is very difficult to detect, so

closely does it apply itself to the surface, and so perfectly does it

imitate the colour of its surroundings. It feeds on the crack willow

(_Salix fragilis_), sallow (_S. alba_), poplar (_Populus_), and plum

(_Prunus_), and is full grown in June.

_The Dark Crimson Underwing_ (_Catocala Sponsa_)

This beautiful insect is represented on Plate XI (fig. 6). It will be

observed that the black band crossing the centre of the hind wing is

rather broad and sharply bent--an important feature, since it is the

most serviceable distinguishing mark between this species and the Light

Crimson Underwing (_C. Promissa_).

The caterpillar is similar in form and habits to those of _Fraxini_ and

_Nupta_, and feeds on the oak. It is full fed about the beginning of

June, when it changes to a chrysalis between leaves which it has spun

together with silk.

The moth flies in July and August, and is common only in certain oak

woods of the southern counties. It is particularly abundant in the New

Forest, where scores may be taken in a single night by judicious

sugaring.

There yet remain a few small families of the _Noctuae_, but we must leave

them in order that we may give a proportionate share of our space to the

other great division of the larger moths--the _Geometrae_.

CHAPTER XX

_GEOMETRAE_

We have already referred (page 28) to caterpillars that walk by a

series of strides, alternately looping and extending their long and

slender bodies. It is this peculiar characteristic of the larvae of

the present division that suggested the name _Geometrae_--a term that

signifies 'earth-measurers,' for they appear to measure the ground

over which they travel in terms of their own length. We have also

dealt with the peculiarities of structure in the case of these

caterpillars--peculiarities which adapt them to this mode of

progression; and we have now to make a selection from the various

families of this important division for a more detailed description.

The _Geometrae_ include nearly three hundred species and sixteen

families. The moths have slender bodies and full wings, and generally

rest with the latter outspread. A few, however, repose with wings erect

like the butterflies, and a small number conceal their hind wings after

the manner of the _Noctuae_.

Family--UROPTERYGIDAE

_The Swallow Tail_ (_Uropteryx sambucaria_)

Our first family--_Uropterygidae_--has only one British representative,

and that is the well-known Swallow Tail, so common in gardens and among

hedgerows in the south of England. This species is shown on Plate XII

(fig. 2), and the insect is so readily identified by the conspicuous

'tails' on the hind wings that no written description will be necessary.

The caterpillar is a most peculiar and interesting creature. Its colour

is very variable, being either brown, olive, ochreous, or reddish; and

it is notched or humped in such a manner that it exactly resembles a

twig. This strange imitation is rendered still more remarkable by the

attitude assumed by the caterpillar when at rest. It fixes itself to a

twig by means of its two pairs of claspers, with its body standing out

at an angle in a perfectly straight posture; but its head is always

supported by means of a very slender and almost invisible silk fibre. It

feeds on a number of plants and trees, including elder (_Sambucus

nigra_), blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), whitethorn (_Crataegus

oxyacantha_), bramble (_Rubus fruticosus_), honeysuckle (_Lonicera

Periclymenum_), and forget-me-not (_Myosotis arvensis_). It may be found

feeding in the autumn, or hybernating in the crevices of the bark of

trees in winter. In April or May it comes out again; and in June, in

which month it is full grown, it binds together some fragments of

leaves, and forms them into a little swinging hammock in which it

changes to a brown chrysalis spotted with black.

Just at this time it seems to be particularly sensitive. In the

caterpillar state it will strongly resent any kind of disturbance, and

will give a blow to an intruder by suddenly swaying its body right and

left; and while in its hammock a gentle irritation, such as a puff of

wind from the mouth, will set it wriggling in a furious manner.

Family--ENNOMIDAE

This family contains about twenty species, several of which rank among

the commonest as well as the most beautiful of the _Geometrae_. Their

wings are more or less angulated; and the antennae are generally

pectinated in the males.

The larvae are generally humped and twig-like; and, as in the last

species, the semblance is increased by the position they assume when at

rest. The number of limbs varies from ten to fourteen, but where the

claspers exceed two pairs, the additional two or four, as the case may

be, are seldom used in walking.

_The Brimstone Moth_ (_Rumia luteolata_)

As soon as the warm evenings of May set in, this lively and bright

little moth may be seen flitting about among our hedges at sunset; and

it continues with us throughout the whole of the summer, but is

particularly plentiful during the month of June.

The moth itself need not be described, since it is shown on Plate XII

(fig. 3); but the caterpillar (fig. 25) must receive a passing notice.

It varies considerably in colour, being either green, brown, or marbled

with a mixture of shades of both these colours. It has a hump on the

back of the seventh segment, and two more on the ninth, and possesses

four pairs of claspers. It feeds on whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_),

blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), and the apple (_Pyrus Malus_), and may be

found on these trees throughout the summer.

Some believe that there are three successive broods of this insect each

year, but it is doubtful whether this is invariably the rule, since both

the moth and its larva are to be found without intermission throughout

the season.

_The Light Emerald_ (_Metrocampa margaritaria_)

All the wings of this moth are very pale green, and crossed with a white

band which is bordered with a darker green on the inner side. The fore

wings have an additional transverse line just halfway between the former

and the base, but this one is not so distinct. It flies in July, and is

very widely distributed, and in some parts is very abundant.

[Illustration: FIG. 177.--THE LIGHT EMERALD.]

The caterpillar feeds in September, and again in May, after hybernation,

on several of our forest trees, including the oak (_Quercus Robur_), elm

(_Ulmus campestris_), birch (_Betula alba_), and beech (_Fagus

sylvatica_). It is of a dingy olive colour, with a dark dorsal line, on

each side of which is a row of white spots; and it has three pairs of

claspers.

_The Scalloped Oak_ (_Crocallis elinguaria_)

This species is common and widely distributed, and may be seen flying at

dusk towards the end of July and throughout August. It is represented in

fig. 4 of Plate XII. The antennae of the male are strongly pectinated;

those of the female are simple.

The caterpillar may be found in the autumn, and again in spring, feeding

on the honeysuckle (_Lonicera Periclymenum_), whitethorn (_Crataegus

oxyacantha_), blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), beech (_Fagus sylvatica_),

and various fruit trees. It is full grown in June, when it turns to a

chrysalis in a cocoon spun between leaves or moss on or near the ground.

It is of a greyish-brown or greyish-purple colour, and looks very like a

piece of twig.

_The August Thorn_ (_Eugonia quercinaria_)

Our last example of this family is the August Thorn, represented in the

accompanying woodcut. The fore wings are ochreous yellow, crossed by two

nearly parallel lines of dark brown. In order to distinguish between

this and one or two similar species it must be observed that both these

lines are angulated near the costa, the inner one very sharply so; and

between the two is a distinct brown spot near the costal margin. The

hind wings are paler, and are crossed by an indistinct darker line. The

antennae of the male are strongly fringed; those of the female are

simple.

[Illustration: FIG. 178.--THE AUGUST THORN.]

The moth is very common in August and September, and is readily

attracted by lights in the evening.

The larva is grey, marbled with reddish brown. It has three small humps

on each of the sixth and seventh segments, two on the twelfth, and one

larger one on the ninth. It feeds on the oak and various other trees

during the month of June.

Family--AMPHIDASYDAE

The seven British species of the family _Amphidasydae_ are generally to

be distinguished by their rather stout abdomens, and the long shaggy

hair that covers their thoraces. The antennae of the males are

pectinated, and those of the females simple; and in three cases the

latter sex is wingless.

The caterpillars have long and slender twig-like bodies, and are never

provided with more than two pairs of claspers. The chrysalides terminate

behind in a sharp spine, and are always to be found buried in the soil.

_The Brindled Beauty_ (_Biston hirtaria_)

Early in April, and sometimes in March, this moth may be seen in

abundance, resting on the lime trees in and around our towns. In fact,

so strongly marked is its partiality to the haunts of man in the

neighbourhood of our great metropolis that it has received the name of

the Cockney. The male is represented in fig. 5 of Plate XII, and the

female may be distinguished from it by her simple antennae and larger

body.

The caterpillar is coloured with alternate bands of dark purple brown

and reddish brown. There is a yellow band on the front of the second

segment, a row of yellow spots on each side, and two little bright

yellow warts on the back of each segment. It feeds by night on lime

(_Tilia vulgaris_), elm (_Ulmus campestris_), and various fruit trees,

and often appears in such numbers that the foliage is almost completely

devoured. During the daytime it may be seen resting on the bark, almost

invariably fixed longitudinally on the trunk, where it looks like a

natural ridge of the bark which it so closely resembles in colour. It

may be found in June and July, and in August it changes to a chrysalis

at the foot of its tree, just below the surface of the soil.

_The Peppered Moth_ (_Amphidasys betularia_)

Although this common species displays no bright tints, yet it is

prettily marked, its whitish wings being peppered and blotched all over

with black or very dark brown. It flies in May and June, later than any

other species of the family, and may generally be found on fences and

tree trunks during the day.

[Illustration: FIG. 179.--THE PEPPERED MOTH.]

The colour of the caterpillar is very variable--drab, grey, green, or

brown; but it may be known by the deep notch in the middle of the head,

and the arrangement of its 'humps.' These latter are only small reddish

or whitish projections, of which there is one on each side of the fifth,

sixth, seventh, eighth, tenth, and eleventh segments; also two on the

back of the ninth and twelfth. It feeds in August and September on a

large number of trees, including, in fact, nearly all our commonest

forest and fruit trees. In September it enters the soil to undergo its

change to the chrysalis.

Family--BOARMIIDAE

In the next family--_Boarmiidae_--there are about twenty British members,

most of which are very pretty moths. They differ generally from the last

family in that their bodies are more slender, and although some of them

bear a resemblance to species of the family _Ennomidae_, their wings are

not angulated. In several cases the fore and hind wings are both

similarly marked, a feature very uncommon with moths.

The caterpillars of this family usually have humps on the sixth and

twelfth segments only, and have two pairs of claspers. The pupae are to

be found either on the ground, among leaves or moss, or beneath the

soil.

_The Waved Umber_ (_Hemerophila abruptaria_)

The most gaily coloured member of this family is the Waved Umber, shown

in fig. 6 of Plate XII. Like many other _Geometrae_, it rests on fences

and tree trunks by day with wings expanded so that all four are

displayed. It is on the wing in May and early June, and again in August,

and often frequents our gardens at dusk.

The caterpillar is very dark brown, with a white collar on the front of

the second segment. It feeds in June and July on privet (_Ligustrum

vulgare_) and the cultivated rose trees of flower gardens, and probably

also on the dog rose (_Rosa canina_). When full grown it spins a silken

cocoon in a fork of one of the twigs, and there undergoes its

metamorphoses.

_The Willow Beauty_ (_Boarmia gemmaria_)

Our second example of the _Boarmiidae_ is the Willow Beauty, the male of

which species is here illustrated. Its wings are brownish grey, marked

with dark brown lines and streaks. The female is generally larger than

the male, and has simple antennae. The moth is abundant throughout

England, and may be seen generally resting on fences and trees in June

and July.

[Illustration: FIG. 180.--THE WILLOW BEAUTY.]

The ground colour of the caterpillar is much the same as that of the

moth, and is marked with a similar darker tint. It has a yellowish line

along the spiracles, and is much like a piece of brownish twig. It feeds

on the oak (_Quercus Robur_), Birch (_Betula alba_), ivy (_Hedera

Helix_), and other trees, and may be found in September and October.

Family--GEOMETRIDAE

The next family contains eight moths, mostly of small size, all of which

have green wings, and are popularly known as the 'Emeralds.' In most

cases the male may be distinguished by its pectinated antennae.

There is no general characteristic by which we may know all the larvae,

but some have the head deeply notched.

_The Large Emerald_ (_Geometra papilionaria_)

This species is the largest of the family, and measures over two inches

when its wings are expanded. The colour is dull green, with whitish

bands and spots, the arrangement of which may be seen in our engraving.

[Illustration: FIG. 181.--THE LARGE EMERALD.]

The moth is out in July, and is common in most parts of England.

The caterpillar feeds on birch (_Betula alba_), beech (_Fagus

sylvatica_) and hazel (_Corylus avellana_) in the autumn, and hybernates

while still young. In the spring it feeds again, and is full grown in

June, when it changes to a chrysalis in a cocoon spun between leaves.

_The Common Emerald_ (_Hemithea strigata_)

One of the commonest of the Emeralds is _Strigata_, which may be found

in June and July in all parts of England, as well as in some localities

in Scotland and Ireland. Its wings are of a dull green colour, the front

pair being slightly scalloped on the hind margin, and crossed by

indistinct pale lines; and the hind pair are both scalloped and angled

and crossed in the middle by a transverse pale line. The fringe is

white, dotted with dull reddish brown.

[Illustration: FIG. 182.--THE COMMON EMERALD.]

The caterpillar is yellowish green, except the second, third, and fourth

segments which are brownish. It feeds on oak (_Quercus Robur_) and

whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_), and may be found in June.

Family--EPHYRIDAE

_The Maiden's Blush_ (_Zonosoma punctaria_)

The family _Ephyridae_ contains only six British species, chiefly

remarkable for the fact that their pupae generally resemble those of

butterflies.

We choose for our example the pretty little Maiden's Blush, so called on

account of the soft reddish patch on the middle of each fore wing. It is

represented in fig. 7 of Plate XII. It is moderately common, occurring

more or less in all parts of England, as well as certain localities in

the sister countries. It is a double-brooded moth, and may be caught in

May and August.

The caterpillar feeds on oak (_Quercus Robur_), from which it may be

obtained by beating both in June and September. It is either green or

tawny yellow, marked with yellow oblique lines on the sides.

Family--ACIDALIIDAE

The moths of this family, over thirty in number, are mostly of small

size, and have slender bodies. As a rule the wings are not in the least

angulated or scalloped, but in a few species the hind pair are slightly

angled on the hind margin; and both fore and hind wings are similarly

marked. The antennae are simple in the females, and generally only

slightly ciliated in the males.

The caterpillars are long and slender, without projections, and feed

principally on low plants. The pupae are to be found in loose cocoons

among the leaves of the food plants or under the soil.

We shall briefly notice three members of this rather extensive family.

_The Lace Border_ (_Acidalia ornata_)

The wings of this moth are silvery white, marked along the hind margin

with a beautiful lace-like border. This border consists of delicate

black and dark grey lines, and includes, in the fore wing, two light

brown blotches, one near the middle and the other in the anal angle. It

is abundant in England, particularly in chalky districts, but does not

seem to extend into Scotland. It may be seen on the wing from June to

August.

[Illustration: FIG. 183.--THE LACE BORDER.]

The caterpillar feeds on thyme (_Thymus Serpyllum_) and marjoram

(_Origanum vulgare_).

_The Riband Wave_ (_A. aversata_)

All the wings of this species are of a pale yellowish or ochreous grey.

The fore wings are crossed by three transverse dark lines, and the hind

wings by two. The space between the two outer lines of the fore wing and

that between the lines of the hind wing are usually filled in with a

greyish brown, thus forming the 'riband' from which the popular name of

the insect is derived; and when this is the case the lines which border

the riband are scarcely distinguishable. Just inside the second line of

the fore wings, near the costa, is a small but conspicuous brown spot.

[Illustration: FIG. 184.--THE RIBAND WAVE.]

The moth flies in June and July, and is common in all parts.

The caterpillar is dark brown except segments ten to thirteen, which are

grey. The line along the spiracles is whitish, and the surface of the

body is roughened by a number of minute warts. It feeds on various low

plants, including the meadow sweet (_Spiraea ulmaria_), water avens

(_Geum rivale_), common avens (_G. urbanum_), and knot-grass (_Polygonum

aviculare_), during April and May.

_The Blood-vein_ (_Timandra amataria_)

Our last example of the _Acidaliidae_ is the Blood-vein, which is common

in most parts of England in June and July.

[Illustration: FIG. 185.--THE BLOOD-VEIN.]

Its fore wings are pale grey, dusted with darker grey, and crossed by an

oblique red streak which runs from the tip of the fore wing to near the

inner margin of the hind wing. A slender dark and wavy line lies outside

this one, parallel with it in the hind wing, but meeting it near the tip

of the fore wing.

The caterpillar is grey, with three white longitudinal stripes. It feeds

in the autumn on dock (_Rumex_), sorrel (_R. acetosa_), and knot-grass

(_Polygonum aviculare_).

Family--CABERIDAE

Six species, all of rather small size, constitute the British portion of

the above family. Their wings are mostly white or pale grey, with light

markings, and without angles. The moths are to be caught with the net

at dusk, or they may be seen on fences and tree trunks during the day,

with their wings fully extended and applied closely to the surface on

which they rest.

The larvae, which have no humps, feed on trees, and change to the

chrysalis state in light silken cocoons.

_The Common Wave_ (_Cabera exanthemata_)

The first of our two examples of this small family is the Common Wave,

the wings of which are pale grey, almost white, dusted all over with

small dark dots. The fore wings are crossed by three parallel and

equidistant darker transverse lines, and the hind pair by two. The male

may be distinguished by its ciliated antennae.

[Illustration: FIG. 186.--THE COMMON WAVE.]

The caterpillar is yellow or greenish yellow, with hinder segments

slightly swollen. It feeds during the latter part of the summer on

sallows (_Salix caprea_ and _S. cinerea_) and alder (_Alnus glutinosa_),

and changes to a chrysalis in a light cocoon among fallen leaves. In

this state it spends the winter, the perfect insect emerging in May or

June.

This species is very abundant in most parts.

_The Clouded Silver_ (_Bapta temerata_)

The other example is the Clouded Silver, the wings of which are white,

and clouded along the hind margin with smoky grey. On the hind margin of

the fore wings, close to the fringe, is a row of black crescent-shaped

spots; and on the inner side of the cloudings is a waved transverse

band. In the centre of the same wings there is a very distinct dark

spot.

[Illustration: FIG. 187.--THE CLOUDED SILVER.]

This moth is not so common as the last, but is widely distributed. It

flies in May and June.

The caterpillar is bright green on the upper side, and has a row of

orange spots, bordered with brown, down the middle of the back. It feeds

in the autumn on the blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_) and the wild cherry

(_P. Avium_), and spends the winter in the chrysalis state, inclosed in

a light silken cocoon.

Family--MACARIIDAE

_The_ V _Moth_ (_Halia Vauaria_)

The family _Macariidae_ contains only five British species, four of which

have the tip of the fore wings extended more or less into an angle, and

the hind wings are also angled to a greater or less extent.

[Illustration: FIG. 188.--THE V MOTH.]

Our only example is the V Moth, so called from the conspicuous V-shaped

blackish mark on the middle of the costa of the fore wings. The ground

colour of all the wings is grey, with a delicate violet tinge. There are

other dark markings in addition to the one mentioned above, and the

arrangement of these may be seen in the woodcut.

This species is very common in all parts, and flies at about midsummer.

The caterpillar is very variable in colour, but is generally green, and

is marked with longitudinal wavy lines. On each side is a series of

yellow blotches, forming a broken lateral stripe, and the body is

covered with minute black bristle-bearing warts. It feeds in May on

gooseberry and currant bushes, and changes to a chrysalis in a web

between the leaves.