Volume I Part 9 (1/2)
THE PALE PROMINENT (_Pterostoma palpina_).
This blackish streaked, pale brownish grey moth has been known as the Pale Prominent since 1775, when Moses Harris gave it this name. Beyond the black scaled tooth-like projection the inner margin is notched. The antennae of the female are pectinated, but the teeth are shorter than those of the male; and the blackish streak on the wings are usually less defined. Except that some specimens are more strongly marked than others there is little to note in the way of aberration. Mr. Harwood of Colchester has, however, recorded an almost black variety, and this may be referable to the form from Russian Lapland, known as var. _lapponica_, Teich. The moth is figured on Plate 33, and the early stages on Plate 32.
The caterpillar is bluish green, with white lines along the back and sides, and a black edged yellow stripe along the spiracles; the stripe is marked with reddish on the three rings nearest the head. It feeds chiefly on poplar, but has been found on willow and sallow. Usually to be obtained full grown early in July or late in June; in the south and south-east of England, it is found also in September and October. The chrysalis is purplish, or reddish, brown and rather s.h.i.+ning. It may be found, in a coc.o.o.n formed of silk mixed with particles of earth, among the roots of gra.s.s, etc., at the foot of poplar or willow trees. Moths are on the wing in May and June, and again in July and August. Coming to electric and gas lamps, as well as entering lighted rooms, and illuminated moth traps, they are often secured; otherwise they are rarely seen in a state of nature. The species is most frequent, perhaps, in the southern countries, but seems to occur throughout England; it becomes scarcer from the Midlands northwards to Durham and c.u.mberland. It occurs in Southern Scotland, and has been recorded from Moray. In Ireland it is widely distributed, but is not noted as common in any locality. The range abroad extends through temperate Europe into Asia Minor, and as far east as China and j.a.pan.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Pl. 34.
1, 1a, 1b, 1c. CHOCOLATE TIP: _egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and coc.o.o.n_.
2, 2a, 2b. SMALL CHOCOLATE TIP: _caterpillar, chrysalis, coc.o.o.n and larval retreat_.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Pl. 35.
1, 2. CHOCOLATE-TIP MOTH.
3. BUFF-TIP MOTH.
4. SCARCE CHOCOLATE-TIP, _male_; 5 _female_.
6. SMALL CHOCOLATE-TIP, _male_; 7 _female_.
{81}
THE BUFF-TIP (_Phalera bucephala_).
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 21.
EGGS OF BUFF-TIP MOTH.]
This species (Plate 35, Fig. 3) is easily recognized by its violet-grey fore wings, and the more or less round, pale, ochreous blotch on the outer third. The blotch is clouded, to a greater or lesser extent, with pale brown, and the inner area of the wings is flecked with silvery grey; the cross lines are edged with reddish brown.
The rather downy caterpillar is yellow, with several interrupted blackish lines, and of these the one along the middle of the back is the broadest and blackest; head black. It feeds, during August and September, in companies, until nearly full grown, and the foliage of almost any kind of tree or bush appears to be suitable food, although that of elm, lime, and hazel is often selected by the female moth when depositing her whitish eggs, which {82} she lays in neatly arranged batches on the undersides of the leaves. If undisturbed, a company of these caterpillars quickly clear a fair-sized branch of all leaf.a.ge. The chrysalis is purplish brown (the early stages are shown on Plate 37).
The moth flies in June and July, but is rarely seen in the daytime. The wings in repose are closely folded down to the body and the insect has then a very stick-like appearance, and may thus easily escape detection.
Occurs throughout England and Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. It is most common, and the caterpillar often abundant, in London and its suburbs, as well as other southern parts of the country. Its range extends through Europe to Northern Asia Minor, Armenia, and Siberia.
THE CHOCOLATE-TIP (_Pygaera curtula_).
Two examples of this moth are shown on Plate 35. Fig. 2 represents the spring (April and May) form, and Fig. 1 the summer (July and August) form.
Sometimes there is a third brood, in September or October, and Barrett describes the individuals of this as ”pale drab, dusted with darker atoms, and with the chocolate blotch paler towards the apex.” Hybrids have been obtained from a pairing between _curtula_ female and _anach.o.r.eta_ male, and these were most like the female parent. The early stages are figured on Plate 34, Figs. 1-1c.
The verdigris-green eggs are laid in batches on the leaves of poplar and aspen, upon which the caterpillars feed in May and June, and, as a second brood, in August and September. In colour the caterpillar, which is rather hairy, is grey, with a pinkish tinge, sprinkled with black, and with orange spots on the sides; there is a raised black spot on the fourth ring, and another on the eleventh; head blackish. The chrysalis is reddish-brown, spun up in a packet of leaves. This species appears to be less common in England than formerly. It is, {83} perhaps, more often observed in Kent and Suss.e.x than in the other counties it inhabits, which, according to Barrett, are Berks, Ess.e.x, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge, in all of which it is local; also, but more rarely, in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, Worcesters.h.i.+re, Herefords.h.i.+re, Leicesters.h.i.+re, Yorks.h.i.+re, and c.u.mberland, the latter county being its northern limit. To the above may be added Hertfords.h.i.+re and Middles.e.x.
Although caterpillars are reported to have been found in Ireland, the moth has not been reared in that country.
This species is distributed through Northern and Central Europe, extending to South France, Corsica, North Italy, Bulgaria, Armenia, and Mongolia.
THE SCARCE CHOCOLATE-TIP (_Pygaera anach.o.r.eta_).
This moth is distinguished from that last referred to by the black spots in and just below the blotch at the tip of the fore wings; the blotch itself is dull reddish, merging outwardly into greyish, and is intersected by a white line. There is some variation in the tint of the general colour, ranging from dusky to reddish grey, but otherwise the species is constant (Plate 35, Figs. 4, 5).
The caterpillar, which feeds on poplar and sallow from May to August, or even later, is rather hairy, dark grey or blackish in colour; there are four ochreous or whitish lines on the back, and a row of black spots followed by a series of orange ones on the sides; below the spiracles are some yellowish markings; the raised spots on rings four and eleven are reddish brown; the former has a white spot on each side, and the back of the latter is edged with white; head black and rather glossy. Chrysalis blackish in hue, spun up among leaves. The moths emerge in May, and again in July; in confinement there is sometimes a third brood in September.