Butterflies and Moths Part 26

_The Holly Blue_ (_Lycaena Argiolus_)

While all the other Blues delight to sport on low flowery banks in the full blaze of the summer's sun, the Holly Blue prefers to flit among the branches of trees, often many feet from the ground. The larva feeds on the flowers of the holly (_Ilex Aquifolium_) in the spring, and on those of the ivy (_Hedera Helix_) late in the summer; also on the alder buckthorn (_Rhamnus Frangula_); and it is in localities where these grow that we may find this lovely Blue sporting among the branches, or resting on a leaf with its wings folded together, thus making itself conspicuous among the dark foliage by exposing the pale silvery blue of its under surface.

The upper sides of both the male and female are shown on Plate VII (figs. 3 and 4 respectively), where the beautiful lilac blue will be seen to have a border of black, wider in the latter than in the former.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 92.--THE HOLLY BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]

The under surface is spotted with black, as shown in fig. 92, and has no border of orange spots.

This is a double-brooded b.u.t.terfly, appearing first in April and May, and then again in August. It is not at all uncommon in the south of England, and extends northward as far as the Lake District, but is not found in Scotland. It is generally distributed throughout Ireland.

The caterpillar may be looked for in June and October. It is light green, with a line of dark green down the back.

_The Mazarine Blue_ (_Lycaena Semiargus_)

The male (Plate VII, fig. 5) is deep purple blue, with a narrow dark-brown border, and the female (fig. 6 of the same plate) dark brown.

The under side of both s.e.xes is light greyish-brown or drab, with a row of black spots in white rings parallel with the hind margin of each wing, and no reddish or orange spots.

This pretty b.u.t.terfly seems to have been plentiful in several localities some years since, but has not been seen for a long time; and it is probable that its reckless slaughter by those who catch all the pretty b.u.t.terflies they can secure either for ornament or for gain has caused its name to be permanently removed from our list of natives.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 93.--THE MAZARINE BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]

It was formerly abundant in Dorset, Hereford, Glamorganshire, and near Shirley, and was on the wing in June and July, but it disappeared from our view before a full account of its life history had been prepared.

_The Small Blue_ (_Lycaena Minima_)

We now come to the smallest of all British b.u.t.terflies--a little insect that measures less than one inch from tip to tip when its wings are expanded. Its upper surface is of a dull and dark-brown colour, the bases of the wings being dusted with blue in the case of the male. The under side is pale drab, tinged with greenish blue at the bases of the wings, and marked with black spots in light rings as shown in the accompanying figure. The upper side is represented in fig. 7 of Plate VII.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 94.--THE SMALL BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]

This b.u.t.terfly is on the wing in May and June, and during the latter month the eggs are deposited on the flowers of the lady's fingers (_Anthyllis vulneraria_).

The caterpillars are hatched in about a week, and commence feeding on the calyx of the buds, and soon burrow into them till they are quite concealed.

The colour of the caterpillar is brownish, with a darker stripe on the back, and a row of oblique brown streaks on each side.

This species is widely distributed in England, and is plentiful in most chalky and limestone districts. It is also found in parts of Scotland and Ireland.

_The Large Blue_ (_Lycaena Arion_)

The last of our Blues is the largest of the genus, and is, with the exception of _Semiargus_, the rarest. It is a very local insect, appearing in small numbers, during June and July, in parts of South Devon, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, and a few other counties.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 95.--THE LARGE BLUE--UNDER SIDE.]

The colour of the upper side is a dark and rich blue, with a broad dark border on the hind margins, and a group of black spots near the centre of the fore wings. The under side (fig. 95) is of a pearly grey, without any red spots, but having a double border of black spots, and also an irregular row of black spots in white rings across the middle of each wing.

The caterpillar feeds on thyme (_Thymus Serpyllum_), on which plant the eggs are laid singly, generally on the flower heads.

CHAPTER XVI

_THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AND THE SKIPPERS_

Family--ERYCINIDae

_The Duke of Burgundy_ (_Nemeobius Lucina_)

The family _Erycinidae_ has only one British representative, commonly known as the Duke of Burgundy Fritillary, but although this b.u.t.terfly certainly resembles the Fritillaries in general appearance (see figs. 9 and 10 of Plate VII), its habits and life history present many points of difference from these.

The upper side is chequered with black and tawny brown, the fringe is white and barred with dark brown, and a row of tawny spots with black centres border the hind margins. The under side has two rows of white spots, one near the base, and the other across the centre of each wing.

The male has only four legs adapted for walking, but the female has six.

The b.u.t.terfly is out in May and June, and frequents the paths and open s.p.a.ces of woods, chiefly in the south of England, but it has been taken in some of the northern counties.

The caterpillar (Plate VIII, fig. 6) is not spiny like those of the true Fritillaries, but more closely resembles those of the Blues, being somewhat of the form of a woodlouse. It is reddish brown, with tufts of hair, black spiracles, and a dark line down the back. It feeds on the primrose (_Primula acaulis_) and the cowslip (_P. veris_), and may be found during June, July and August.

When fully grown, the caterpillar secures itself to a leaf or stem by means of its a.n.a.l claspers and a silken cord round its body, and changes to a short, thick, hairy and light-coloured chrysalis (Plate VIII, fig.

11), which is marked with several black spots. In this state it spends the winter, and emerges early in the following summer.

Family--HESPERIIDae--THE SKIPPERS

This family contains eight small species, none of which are remarkable for brilliancy of color. They are, nevertheless, very interesting creatures, for they exhibit peculiarities of structure and habit that render them singular among the b.u.t.terflies, and seem to show a sort of cousin relationship with the moths. They have thick bodies that remind us somewhat of the _Noctuae_. Their heads are broad, so that the antennae, which are slightly hooked at the tips, are rather wide apart at the bases. When at rest, they neither press their wings together over their back like the other b.u.t.terflies, nor do they set them horizontally after the manner of the moths, but seem to lay claim to an intermediate position in the scale of Lepidopterous insects by holding them in a half elevated position. Their flight, too, is not graceful like that of most other b.u.t.terflies, nor even so steady as that of the little flitting blues, but brisk and erratic, and resembling the fitful motions of moths disturbed from their slumberings at unwonted hours. Thus they have earned their popular t.i.tle of skippers from their habit of skipping rather than flying from flower to flower. All the three pairs of legs of these b.u.t.terflies are fully developed for walking.

The caterpillars have rather large heads, and their bodies taper from the middle toward both extremities. Like the larvae of many moths, they hide themselves in leaves which they have rolled and secured with silken threads; and when about to change to the chrysalis state, they also spin silken coc.o.o.ns for their further protection.

_The Grizzled Skipper_ (_Syrichthus Malvae_)

The ground color of this species is a very dark brown, relieved by a number of square white spots arranged as shown in fig. 11 of Plate VII.

The fringe is wide, and barred with the same two colours, arranged alternately. The pattern of the under side is similar, but the dark brown of the upper surface is replaced by a lighter olive tint.

The b.u.t.terfly may be looked for in May in the open s.p.a.ces of woods, particularly in damp places. It is common all over England, and is found also in the south of Scotland.

The caterpillar is either green or brownish, with a darker dorsal stripe of the same color, and two white lines on each side. It feeds on the raspberry (_Rubus idaeus_), the bramble (_R. fruticosus_), and the strawberry-leaved cinquefoil (_Potentilla Fragariastrum_), and is full fed about the end of June.

The chrysalis is greyish, spotted with black. It is rather elongated, and without angles, but has a short and sharp projection extending backwards from the 'tail.'

_The Dingy Skipper_ (_Nisoniades Tages_)

Colour--a dingy brown, indistinctly barred and spotted with a darker tint, and having a row of small white spots just inside the fringe of the hind margins. Under side--a paler brown, with rows of small white spots.