Butterflies and Moths

Lepidoptera The Tailed Blue Butterfly – Lycana Batica We now come to a genus containing no less than ten species of beautiful little butterflies, known commonly as the ‘Blues;’ but one of them exhibits no trace of the colour so characteristic of the group, although it resembles the others in structure and habits. Fig. 87.-The […]

Lepidoptera Antithesia Salicella Moth This moth is not nearly so common as the last species, but is fairly plentiful in some localities in the south of England. It belongs to the same family as Pruniana. Fig. 229.-Salicella. The fore wings are whitish at the base and along the inner margin, but the light tint is […]

Lepidoptera The Northern Brown Butterfly – Erebia Athiops The colour of this species (Plate V, fig. 4) is a rich dark brown, with rust-coloured and black spotted bands arranged something like those of the last. The markings, however, are very variable. There are usually four black spots on the band of the fore wings, but […]

Lepidoptera Nepticula Aurella Moth Fig. 241.-Aurella-Enlarged. The family Nepticulida-the last of the Tinea-contains a number of little moths, including the smallest of the Lepidoptera. Many of them are exceedingly beautiful, being decorated with various tints of a splendid metallic lustre, but their beauty is revealed only by the use of a magnifying lens, and they […]

Lepidoptera Family Catocalida Moths This family contains only four British species, but these few are very striking moths. They are of large size; and, unlike the Noctua generally, the chief adornment is reserved for the under wings. When at rest, the outer or fore wings completely hide the other pair, and then their general appearance […]

Lepidoptera The Early Grey Moth – Xylocampa Areola One of the first of the Noctua to greet us in the spring is the Early Grey, which may be found resting on fences in April, and, if the season is mild, in March. Fig. 172.-The Early Grey. Its fore wings are light grey, often tinged with […]

Lepidoptera The Vapourer Moth – Orgyia Antiqua Fig. 125.-The Vapourer Moth-Male. Fig. 126.-The Female Vapourer Moth. During the hottest summer months, and particularly in August and September, a rather small brown moth may be seen almost everywhere, flying rapidly and in a very erratic manner in the bright rays of the midday sun. This is […]

Lepidoptera Facts Arrangement Of Butterfly And Moth Specimens The selection of a cabinet or other storehouse for the rapidly increasing specimens of insect forms is often a matter of no small difficulty to a youthful entomologist. Indeed, there are very many points of considerable importance to be considered before any final decision is made. Freedom […]

Lepidoptera Facts Rearing Lepidoptera Management Of Ova In the management of insects in all stages the strictest attention must always be paid to one general rule on which the success of the work almost entirely depends; and that is-keep every specimen as far as possible under the same conditions as those in which you find […]

Lepidoptera The Swallow-tail Butterfly – Papilio Machaon Our first family (Papilionida) contains only one British species-the beautiful Swallow-tail (Papilio Machaon), distinguished at once from all other British butterflies by its superior size and the ‘tails’ projecting from the hind margin of the hind wings. This beautiful insect is figured on Plate I, where its bold […]