Volume I Part 10 (1/2)
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The fluted greenish-white eggs are laid upon the edges of bramble-leaves.
The caterpillar is pale reddish brown shaded with darker and freckled with whitish (in the young stage the second and third rings are whitish above); a slender dark brown line along the middle of the back, and a broader one along the sides, the latter not distinct on the first three rings; the two rings nearest the head each have a divided ridge, the second being the larger; there are also similar ridges on the fifth to ninth rings, and the back of ring eleven is slightly raised; a series of pale triangular marks on the back. It feeds on bramble in July, and may be found from that month until September.
In confinement it will thrive on raspberry or the cultivated kinds of blackberry. From some thirty eggs I had in June this year (1907) the caterpillars hatched on the 27th; several of these fed up rapidly and one or two had spun up for pupation, among the leaves, in July (about 24th), whilst others remained quite small, and a few were in the last skin but one. Early in August the larger caterpillars just referred to pupated, and the smaller ones began to feed up, and by the end of the month they had attained to full growth, although they did not spin coc.o.o.ns until the second week in September.
From July chrysalids moths will often emerge in August or September of the same year, but none have appeared from those under observation. The chrysalis is pale brown mottled with dark purplish or reddish brown, wing cases reddish. The species frequents woods or wooded localities, and is generally distributed throughout England and Wales, but commoner in some parts than others. Rather local in Scotland but not uncommon in Perths.h.i.+re.
Sometimes very abundant in Ireland, occurring in similar localities to the preceding species. It is found over the greater part of Northern and Central Europe, and as far east as Amurland and j.a.pan. {88}
THE FIGURE OF EIGHTY (_Palimpsestis octogessima_).
This moth (Plate 36, Figs. 5, 6) may be distinguished by two whitish marks on the fore wings which have some resemblance to the numerals 80, hence the common name. These are really the white outlines of the reniform and orbicular stigmata, each of which has the central part filled in with black; sometimes the lower portion of the 8 is obscure, but in a general way the character is not difficult to make out.
The caterpillar is yellowish tinged with greyish on the back; a greyish plate on the back of the ring nearest the black marked orange head; three black spots on each side of the first ring, two such spots on ring two, and one on each side of rings three to eleven; the back of the last ring has a greyish plate. It feeds in July and August, earlier or later in accordance with season, on poplar. During the day it hides between united leaves, or in a curled up withered leaf, upon the tree. The s.h.i.+ning black chrysalis with somewhat reddish ring divisions is enclosed in a rather loosely constructed coc.o.o.n spun up between leaves, or among moss etc., at the base of poplar trees. The moth emerges in May or June. It is partial to sugar, and is said to prefer its sweets served up on poplar trunks. Probably it is most often and regularly obtained in the Eastern Counties, but it is locally not uncommon in Worcesters.h.i.+re and Herefords.h.i.+re; also found in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, Somerset, Hertfords.h.i.+re, Middles.e.x, Surrey, and, I believe, Suss.e.x. The range abroad is similar to that of _T. batis_.
THE POPLAR LUTESTRING (_Palimpsestis or_).
May be recognized in the typical form by the four-lined bands, ”lutestrings,” on the greyish, sometimes pink-tinged fore wings; the reniform and orbicular marks are often present although the first is generally obscure, and they never a.s.sume the similarity {89} to figures noted in the last species (Plate 36, Figs. 7, 8). In Scotland the moths have a paler ground colour generally, var. _scotica_, Tutt; one from Ireland with ground colour pearly white and broad black ”lutestrings” has been named var. _gaelica_, Kane. Hybrids from a cross pairing of this species with the last have been obtained by Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher. These specimens have the ”lutestrings” of _or_, and the ”figure of 80”
characteristic of _octogessima_. Caterpillar yellowish green with a dark line along the middle of the back, and two black spots on the front edge of the ring next the yellowish brown head. It feeds on poplar, and hides between united leaves in the daytime; may be found from July to September or even later. Chrysalis, reddish brown, the surface minutely pitted, and spike pointed, and thickened at the base; in a brownish coc.o.o.n spun up between leaves. The moth emerges in June or July, and it comes freely to sugar, but like other members of this family is not always easy to box. It seems to occur in most places where poplar trees are well established; widely distributed over England, and found throughout Scotland even to the Shetland Isles. In Ireland it seems to be local and rare. Distribution abroad much as in the last species.
THE LESSER SATIN MOTH (_Palimpsestis duplaris_).
Figs. 1, 2, on Plate 39, represent the typical southern form of this species. The fore wings are pale greyish with a whitish edged, broad, dark central band; two black dots on the outer edge of the band distinguish this species from the next. In Scotland and in Northern England the general colour is blackish or purplish grey (Fig. 3), and sometimes specimens more or less suffused with the darker colour are found in the southern half of England. Quite the darkest, almost black, form seems to occur in Cannock Chase, Staffords.h.i.+re, and in Delamere Forest, Ches.h.i.+re. The caterpillar is greenish; central area of the back {90} green, margined on each side by an olive green, or brighter green, stripe; some black dots along the sides; head reddish brown marked with black. Feeds on birch, and may be found from August to October. It spins the leaves together for a shelter during the daytime, and comes out to feed at night, when it may be obtained by beating the boughs. Other food plants mentioned are alder, oak, and hazel. The pupa is of a dull reddish colour, in a slight coc.o.o.n between leaves.
Widely distributed throughout England and common in most woodlands, especially in the south and east; it ranges through Scotland to the Shetlands. In Ireland, where the moth has the ground colour silvery grey (var. _argentea_, Tutt), it has been obtained in many localities, from Donegal and Tyrone to Kerry and Cork.
THE SATIN CARPET (_Palimpsestis fluctuosa_).
In colour and general pattern this species (Plate 39, Fig. 4) is very similar to the last in its typical form. The points of distinction are, the slightly larger size, whiter ground colour, and the absence of the two black dots from the edge of the band. In August and September the caterpillar feeds, at night, on birch, and by day conceals itself between leaves. It is reddish or violet grey above, and pale ochreous-white beneath; the lines down the centre of the back and along the sides are darker; on the first ring there is a greenish-tinged yellow plate, and from this to the eleventh ring there are two series of black dots along the back. Head yellow-brown, blackened above; a black circle on each cheek.
Chrysalis reddish-brown, in a coc.o.o.n among leaves either on the tree or on the ground. The moth emerges in June, and is distinctly local. Sometimes it may be disturbed from its resting place among the foliage; it becomes active on the wing at dusk for a short time; sugar does not seem to possess any great attraction for it, anyway it does not attend the feast prepared for Noctuae so frequently as other members of this family. It is known to occur, chiefly in woods, in Kent, Surrey, Suss.e.x, and Hamps.h.i.+re in the south; Ess.e.x and Suffolk in the east; also in Worcesters.h.i.+re (Wyre Forest), and Herefords.h.i.+re; in the Barnsley and Sheffield districts of Yorks.h.i.+re; and it has been reported from c.u.mberland. In Ireland it is rare and only recorded from Killarney, Kerry, and Sligo. Abroad it occurs in Central Europe, the range extending to Southern Scandinavia, and to South-east Russia.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Pl. 38.
1. FROSTED GREEN: _caterpillar_.
2, 2a, 2b, 2c. YELLOW HORNED: _egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and coc.o.o.n_.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Pl. 39.
1. LESSER SATIN MOTH, _male_; 2 _female_; 3 _northern var_.
4. SATIN CARPET MOTH.
5. LESSER LUTESTRING, _male_; 6 _female_.
7, 8. YELLOW-HORNED MOTH.
9. FROSTED GREEN MOTH, _male_; 10 _female_.
{91} THE LESSER LUTESTRING (_Asphalia diluta_).