Moths

Lepidoptera Family Acidaliida Moths The moths of this family, over thirty in number, are mostly of small size, and have slender bodies. As a rule the wings are not in the least angulated or scalloped, but in a few species the hind pair are slightly angled on the hind margin; and both fore and hind […]

Lepidoptera The Muslin Moth – Nudaria Mundana The family Lithosiida contains several small moths, distinguished from the other Bombyces by the narrowness of their fore wings. When the insects are at rest, all the wings are wrapped closely round the body. They fly at dusk on summer evenings, but may be obtained during the daytime […]

Lepidoptera Xanthosetia Zoegana Moth Fig. 233.-Zoegana-Enlarged. Our last example of the Tortrices is Zoegana, which belongs to the family Conchylida. Its fore wings are yellow, with a reddish streak along the costa near the base, and a small reddish spot opposite this near the inner margin. The tip of the wings is dark reddish brown, […]

Lepidoptera The Marbled Beauty Moth – Bryophila Perla Our first family-the Bryophilida-contains only four British species. These are small and slender-bodied moths, whose larva feed in early morning on the lichens that cover stones and old walls, and conceal themselves by day in holes and chinks and under stones. The Marbled Beauty is the only […]

Lepidoptera The Angle Shades Moth – Phlogophora Meticulosa Fig. 168.-The Angle Shades Moth. This moth is so common and so widely distributed that it is almost sure to be taken by the young collector during his first season. Its wings are scalloped on the hind margin, and their colour light ochreous, often tinged with pink […]

Lepidoptera Family Liparida Moths Passing over the two small species which are the only British representatives of the family Cochliopodida, we come to the interesting Liparida, the remarkable feature of which is that most of the caterpillars are adorned with brush-like tufts of hair, and even the chrysalides are hairy. The perfect insects are not […]

Lepidoptera The Dark Crimson Underwing Moth – Catocala Sponsa This beautiful insect is represented on Plate XI (fig. 6). It will be observed that the black band crossing the centre of the hind wing is rather broad and sharply bent-an important feature, since it is the most serviceable distinguishing mark between this species and the […]

Lepidoptera The Mottled Rustic Moth – Caradrina Morpheus We select as our type of this family the Mottled Rustic-a common moth that may be procured from June to August. Its fore wings are brownish grey, with darker lines and spots; the hind wings are almost white, but darker at the tip. Fig. 154.-The Mottled Rustic. […]

Lepidoptera The Mother-of-pearl Moth – Botys Ruralis This is another very common species of the family Botyda, abundant almost everywhere, and to be found on the wing from June to August. Fig. 212.-The Mother-of-Pearl. Its wings are whitish, and exhibit a very decided pearly lustre, and all the markings are of a dull dark grey. […]

Lepidoptera The Common Heath Moth – Ematurga Atomaria Of this family we shall select two examples, the first of which is the Common Heath, often so abundant on heaths and downs that they are disturbed at almost every footstep. Fig. 189.-The Common Heath. The ground colour of the wings of the male is a dull […]