Moths

Lepidoptera The Small Elephant Hawk Moth – Charocampa Porcellus This pretty insect is one of the smallest of our hawk moths. It is widely distributed, being met with in many parts of England and in the south of Scotland. It flies in June. Fig. 100.-The Small Elephant Hawk Moth. The fore wings are of a […]

Lepidoptera The Six-spotted Burnet Moth – Zygana Filipendula Fig. 106.-The Six-spotted Burnet. So common is this moth, and so conspicuous when it flies in the blazing sun, that it must be familiar to almost everybody. On a bright midsummer day hundreds may often be started from their grassy beds from one little patch of ground. […]

Lepidoptera The Tortrices Moth This is a large group of moths, deriving their name from the peculiar habit of a number of the larva of twisting or rolling up leaves for their protection. This habit, however, is not common to all, for some feed on stems and flowers, and others devour seeds and fruits. The […]

Lepidoptera The Privet Hawk Moth – Sphinx Ligustri This is another fine moth, measuring nearly four and a half inches from tip to tip. It is represented in the centre of Plate IX in its natural colours, so that it need not be described. The perfect insect flies in June and July, and, although common, […]

Lepidoptera The Clouded Silver Moth – Bapta Temerata Fig. 187.-The Clouded Silver. The other example is the Clouded Silver, the wings of which are white, and clouded along the hind margin with smoky grey. On the hind margin of the fore wings, close to the fringe, is a row of black crescent-shaped spots; and on […]

Lepidoptera Chilo Phragmitellus Moth This species is one of those moths known as the ‘Veneers,’ and is popularly termed the Wainscot Veneer. It is one of the largest of the family Chilida. Fig. 219.-Phragmitellus-Enlarged one-half. Its fore wings are long, narrow, and pointed at the tip. They are of a pale ochreous brown colour, with […]

Lepidoptera The Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth – Macroglossa Fuciformis The two other moths of this genus are called Bee Hawks from their resemblance to the humble bee. They are very much alike, but may be distinguished by a difference in the width of the dark border of the wings; and are named Broad-bordered and Narrow-bordered […]

Lepidoptera Family Noctuida Moths A glance at our list of British Noctua (Appendix I) will show that this family contains nearly fifty species and only three genera. It includes several very common moths that frequent our gardens and are to be met with during almost every summer evening ramble. Most of the species are very […]

Lepidoptera Carpocapsa Pomonella Moth Fig. 232.-Pomonella. The same extensive family contains a few moths that are very destructive to our fruits, the larva burrowing into and living entirely within their substance. One of these-Pomonella-is popularly known as the Codlin, as its larva is so often found in the interior of small apples of the same […]

Lepidoptera Platyptilia Gonodactyla Moth This is one of the commonest of the Pterophorida, generally appearing in our gardens and in waste places towards the end of May, and continuing with us for some time. It starts from its retreat at or before sunset, and remains on the wing after dark. Fig. 215.-Gonodactyla. Its fore wings […]