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.
The caterpillar is brownish grey, with a row of triangular spots on each side of the back. It is very sluggish, spending the greater part of its existence among the roots of low plants. It feeds throughout the winter, except during severe weather, and is full grown in April. The food plants include teasels (Dipsacus pilosus and D. sylvestris), hedge bedstraw (Galium Mollugo), orpine (Sedum Telephium), sallows (Salix), and various other plants.
The chrysalis may be dug out in May.