Volume Ii Part 35 (1/2)

The New Forest in Hants is, perhaps, the best British locality for the species, but it has been found in Dorset (Glanville's Wootton), Devon (Exeter district, Tiverton, etc.), Suss.e.x (Abbots Wood, St. Leonard's Forest, etc.), Wilts. (Savernake Forest); also oak woods in Surrey, Berks., Gloucester, Hereford and Glamorgan. On the eastern side it occurs in Suffolk (Bury and Needham), and Norfolk.

DWARF PUG (_Eupithecia pusillata_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 93, Fig. 12) are pale greyish white, discal spot black, cross lines irregular dark grey inclining to brownish, usually most distinct on the front margin.

The long, slender caterpillar is orange-red or dull ochreous green; three dusky olive lines along the back, the central one often only distinct on the front rings; a yellow line low down along the sides. It feeds, in June and early July, on spruce (_Picea excelsa_). The moth is out in May and June, and rests by day among the branches of the spruce. {226}

The species is very local, but is found in Kent (West Wickham, etc.), Surrey (Mickleham district), Hants (New Forest), Devon (Exeter district, Plymouth), Wilts. (Watlington district), and Suffolk.

OCHREOUS PUG (_Eupithecia indigata_).

Captured specimens of this pale greyish-ochreous-brown species nearly always have a washed-out appearance, and even freshly emerged examples are unattractive. In some specimens, cross lines are more or less traceable on the fore wings; in others four or five tiny dusky dots will be noted on the front edge; as a rule, the only clearly defined character is the black discal spot (Plate 96, Fig. 1).

The long caterpillar is greenish-yellow or yellowish-red; three lines on the back, the central one brownish, but often only distinct on the front rings; the others, and also one low down along the sides, yellowish; head, reddish (adapted from Crewe). It feeds, in June and July, on pine and larch, or may be reared on juniper.

The moth is out in May and June, and sometimes there seems to be another emergence in the latter part of the summer. It frequents pine-woods, where it rests upon the trunks and branches of the trees.

Generally distributed over the whole of England; has been found in South Wales, and occurs in Perths.h.i.+re, in Scotland. In Ireland, it has been noted from Tyrone, Derry, and Galway.

PINION-SPOTTED PUG (_Eupithecia insigniata_).

The greyish white fore wings have a blackish basal line, and three slender double lines between this and the outer margin; three blotches on the front margin of the wings, the middle one blackish, the others brown with dashes of the same colour below; discal spot, black and streak-like (Plate 96, Fig. 2).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 94.

1. PLAIN PUG: _caterpillars_.

2. DARK SPINACH: _caterpillars_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 95.

1. PIMPINEL PUG.

4. THYME PUG.

7. BLEACHED PUG.

3, 6, 10. WORMWOOD PUG.

9. CURRANT PUG.

2, 12. LING PUG.

5. CAMPANULA PUG.

8, 11. JASIONE PUG.

{227} The long, slightly roughened caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish, especially between the rings; reddish marks on the back connected by a slender line of the same colour; head, green, flecked with reddish. It feeds, on apple, eating flowers and leaves, in May and June.

Also said to eat hawthorn and sloe. The moth is out in April and May, but it is rarely met with in the open. If, however, one is lucky enough to capture a female, and fertile eggs are obtained, moths should hardly fail to result. From these the stock might go on increasing year by year for quite a long period. Ten specimens presented to the National Collection of British Lepidoptera in 1904, by the late Mrs. Hutchinson, were bred in April of the previous year, and were the direct descendants of a female captured in 1874, at Grantsfield, Herefords.h.i.+re.

Other counties in England from which the species has been recorded are--Worcester (Birchwood), Gloucester, Somerset, Wilts., Hants (Hayling Island), Suss.e.x, Surrey, Kent, Berks., Bucks., Huntingdon, Cambridge (once bred from mixed larvae beaten from hawthorn on the ”Gogs”), Suffolk (beaten from hawthorn at Brandon, Tuddenham, etc.), and Norfolk.

As _insigniata_, Hubner, is claimed to be at least two years older than _consignata_, Borkhausen, the former name will have to be adopted for this species.