Butterflies and Moths

Lepidoptera The Beautiful Carpet Moth – Melanthia Albicillata Fig. 202.-The Beautiful Carpet. The Beautiful Carpet belongs to the same genus as Bicolorata. Its wings are of a rich creamy white, clouded with grey along the hind margin. The basal blotches of the fore wings are large, of a dark brown colour, and marbled with a […]

Lepidoptera The Spring Usher Moth – Hybernia Leucophaaria Fig. 192.-The Spring Usher. 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 […]

Lepidoptera The Bordered White Moth – Bupalus Piniaria Fig. 190.-The Bordered White-Male. The male of this species is boldly marked with yellowish white and dark brown, the arrangement of the two colours being shown in fig. 190. The female is very different in general appearance. Her wings are of an almost uniform orange or yellowish-brown […]

Lepidoptera The Puss Moth – Dicranura Vinula Fig. 132.-The Puss Moth. No written description is necessary in this case, the illustration easily serving for identification. This beautiful moth flies in May and June, and is common everywhere. The caterpillar is a very interesting creature. It is green, with a hump on the fourth segment, and […]

Lepidoptera The Green Hairstreak Butterfly – Thecla Rubi Next to Quercus, this is the most plentiful of the genus. It frequents woods and heaths in nearly every county in England, and is also found in parts of Scotland and Ireland. It is peculiar among British butterflies as being the only one that exhibits a bright […]

Lepidoptera Family Ennomida Moths This family contains about twenty species, several of which rank among the commonest as well as the most beautiful of the Geometra. Their wings are more or less angulated; and the antenna are generally pectinated in the males. The larva are generally humped and twig-like; and, as in the last species, […]

Lepidoptera The Speckled Wood Or Wood Argus Butterfly – Pararge Egeria Most of our butterflies delight in the hot sun, and are to be seen on the wing only when it is shining brightly. This fact is particularly noticeable on a bright day with occasional heavy clouds. While the sun’s rays are pouring uninterruptedly on […]

Lepidoptera The Ringlet Butterfly – Epinephele Hyperanthus Fig. 81.-The Ringlet-Upper Side. This is another rather plainly dressed insect, though somewhat prettily adorned on the under side. The upper surface is of a very deep sepia brown, almost black, with a few indistinct black eye-like spots near the margins. The under side (Plate V, fig. 10) […]

Lepidoptera The White Ermine Moth – Spilosoma Menthastri Fig. 115.-The White Ermine. In this species the wings are of a pale cream colour, and the dots of the fore wings are more uniformly distributed than in the last. Its habits and life history closely correspond with those of Lubricipeda, and its larva may be found […]

Lepidoptera The Common Swift Moth – Hepialus Lupulinus Fig. 117.-The Common Swift. The fore wings of the male of this species are brown, with a bent whitish streak, sometimes broken, passing from the base to the middle of the inner margin, and then to the apex. The hind wings are smoke coloured, with a light […]