Butterflies and Moths Part 44

Family--HYBERNIIDae

Pa.s.sing over the family _Ligiidae_, which contains only one British moth, the Horse-chestnut, we come to the small but interesting family, _Hyberniidae_.

Of this we have six species, five of which favour us during the bleakest months of the year. Two of them visit us in October and November, and even remain with us up to Christmas. The others follow closely on them, and may be seen from January to March.

The males have slender bodies, and their wings are full and without angles; but the females are either perfectly or nearly wingless. In three cases there is hardly a trace of wings in this s.e.x, so that they look more like spiders than moths.

The caterpillars are long and slender and without humps, and all feed on the leaves of trees. They change to the chrysalis state under the ground.

_The Spring Usher_ (_Hybernia leucophaearia_)

Early in February, and often even in January, this moth may be seen in abundance in almost every oak wood, sitting on the bark of the trees, or occasionally taking a short flight in the sunshine. In colour it is very variable. The wings have always a whitish ground marbled and dotted with dark brown, but in some the fore wings are almost entirely dark brown with the exception of a transverse central bar. The female has only the slightest rudiments of wings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 192.--THE SPRING USHER.]

The caterpillar feeds on the young buds and leaves of the oak (_Quercus Robur_) and sycamore (_Acer Pseudoplata.n.u.s_), concealing itself among the small leaves which it has spun together. It is full grown in June, when it changes to a chrysalis on the surface of the ground, and remains here throughout the summer and part of the following winter.

The colour of the caterpillar is very variable, but is usually pale green with white markings.

_The Mottled Umber_ (_Hybernia defoliaria_)

This very pretty moth is represented in fig. 8 of Plate XII. It is very common in most parts, and visits us at the fall of the leaf, generally appearing in October, and remaining on the wing till November. Our ill.u.s.tration gives the usual appearance of the male, but in some specimens the four wings are all of one uniform reddish-brown colour, evenly dotted all over with a darker tint. The female is quite wingless.

The caterpillar is exceedingly pretty. Its head is large and brown. The back is brown, bordered with a fine black line. Below this is a broad and bright yellow line, with a red spot on each segment. The spiracles are white. It feeds during spring on oak (_Quercus Robur_), whitethorn (_Crataegus oxyacantha_), blackthorn (_Prunus spinosa_), and other trees.

When disturbed it always allows itself to fall for a foot or two, and then remains swinging at the end of a silken fibre till danger is over, or hunger recalls it to its food. It changes to a chrysalis on the ground about the middle of June.

_The March Moth_ (_Anisopteryx aescularia_)

This is another common moth, and should be looked for during March and April on the barks of trees in oak and other woods. The fore wings are of a dingy brown colour, paler near the base, and crossed by a pale wavy line. The hind wings are lighter, with a central dark spot. But this description applies to the male only, for the female is wingless, and may be known by the tuft of hair that tips the abdomen.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 193.--THE MARCH MOTH.]

The caterpillar is pale green, clouded with a darker tint, and has a white line on each side of the back. It feeds in May on the three trees named for the last species, also on lime (_Tilia vulgaris_) and elm (_Ulmus campestris_).

Family--LARENTIIDae

This is by far the most extensive family of the _Geometrae_, containing as it does considerably over a hundred species, or well nigh a half of the whole group.

The wings of the various species are smooth and more or less glossy, and the front pair are generally crossed by several wavy lines. Many of the moths, and particularly those known popularly as the Pugs, are very small. Representatives of the family are to be met with almost throughout the year--from early spring to the middle of the winter.

Most of the caterpillars are rather long and slender, and without humps; and green is the prevailing colour. They feed either on trees or low plants, often protecting themselves in folded leaves; and some of the smaller species show a decided preference for flowers and seeds.

We shall select about a dozen of the commonest members for individual description.

_The November Moth_ (_Oporabia dilutata_)

Our first example is the November moth--a rather dingy and very variable species that may be found almost everywhere in October and November. The ground colour of the fore wings is dingy grey, crossed by several darker lines, subject to considerable variations. The hind wings are paler, with two slender darker lines parallel with the hind margin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 194.--THE NOVEMBER MOTH.]

The caterpillar feeds on many trees, the princ.i.p.al of which are the oak, whitethorn and blackthorn. Like the perfect insect, it is very variable in colour, but is generally of a bright green, with reddish or purplish spots on the back and sides. The spiracles are yellow or orange, and below them is a white stripe. It is full fed in June.

_The Twin-spot Carpet_ (_Larentia didymata_)

The Twin-spot Carpet is common throughout Great Britain, and the beginner is likely to meet with it in June and July during his first season. Our ill.u.s.tration represents the male, the fore wings of which are greyish brown, crossed by several dark lines, and with a double dark and conspicuous spot near the middle of the hind margin. The female is much lighter, and the markings are also lighter and less distinct.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 195.--THE TWIN-SPOT CARPET.]

The caterpillar is pale green, with a narrow whitish line along the spiracles. It feeds in April and May on the leaves of the wood anemone (_Anemone nemorosa_), chervil (_Chaerophyllum temulum_), and other plants.

_The Gra.s.s Rivulet_ (_Emmelesia albulata_)

We represent the genus _Emmelesia_ by the Gra.s.s Rivulet--a pretty little moth that flies in June, and which is widely distributed though not abundant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 196.--THE GRa.s.s RIVULET.]

Its fore wings are pale grey, crossed by several white lines, the arrangement of which may be seen in our engraving. The hind wings are of the same ground colour, but have no markings except a white wavy line near the hind margin.

The caterpillar feeds during July and August on the seeds of the yellow rattle (_Rhinanthus Crista-galli_), protecting itself from its enemies by spinning together the petals of the flowers; and when full grown it changes to a chrysalis under the same cover.

_The Netted Pug_ (_Eupithecia venosata_)

We now come to the enormous genus _Eupithecia_, containing about fifty small species, most of which are known as 'Pugs.' Many of these are only imperfectly known, there being yet much to learn about their earlier stages.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 197.--THE NETTED PUG.]

The Netted Pug flies in May and June, and is to be found in most parts of Great Britain. Its fore wings are brownish grey, crossed by two zigzag light bands, both of which are bordered with black, and divided throughout by a fine dark line. There are also other dark lines, both transverse and longitudinal, arranged as here represented.

The caterpillar feeds during July inside the seed capsules of campions (_Silene Cucubalis_, _S. maritima_, _S. acaulis_, and _Lychnis diurna_) and catchfly (_Silene gallica_ and _S. nutans_).

_The Narrow-winged Pug_ (_Eupithecia nanata_)

Early in May, and frequently in April, this pretty little moth may be seen flying about at dusk among the heather on our moors. It is one of the first Pugs of the season, and is widely distributed, and very common in some localities.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 198.--THE NARROW-WINGED PUG.]

Its wings are dark grey, and marked with several transverse wavy light lines. The fringe is dark grey, spotted with white.

The caterpillar feeds during August and September on the ling (_Calluna vulgaris_) and heath (_Erica cinerea_ and _E. Tetralix_).