BRITISH AXD EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES AXD MOTHS. 



49 



the head is bordered with cinnabar-red behind. 

 The collar is dark brown, pale yellow at the 

 sides, and bordered with cinnabar-red. The 

 thorax is dark brown, light j-ellow towards 

 the base of the wings, with two cinnabar-red 

 longitudinal stripes across the middle. The 

 abdomen is red, with three rows of black spots. 

 It is widely distributed in Central Europe, 

 but is nowhere common, and is not found in 

 the North-West. It flies in July in dark damp 

 woods, and rests on the broad leaves of Pda- 

 sites, etc. The larva is brown, with long 

 reddish brown hair. It hibernates, and feeds 

 in the Spring on Lonicera, Corylus, Cmiagus, Prmiiis 

 padus, and low plants. The larvae remain hidden 

 during the day, and come out at night, when 

 they may be found on the under sides of the 

 leaves of the food-plant. The pupa is shining 

 dark brown, with reddish brown incisions, 

 and a greyish white cocoon. The larva lives 

 two years before attaining its full growth. 



Genus Arctia, Schrank. 



Fore wings with twelve nervures ; nervure 

 7 rising from the anterior angle of the dis- 

 coidal cell, and 8 and g together from 7. Hind 

 wings with eight nervures, 6 and 7 rising from 

 a point. They are for the most part brightly 

 coloured moths. The antennae of the males 

 are bipectinated, those of the females serrated. 

 The palpi are horizontal, projecting, and hairy. 

 The legs have shaggy hairs. The pupa; are 

 enclosed in silken cocoons. 



A. caja, Linn. The Common Tiger Moth. 

 PL XVII. fig. 8. Larva 8a. is common through- 

 out nearly the whole of Europe, including the 

 British Isles, and appears in July and August. 

 The moth varies considerably, according as 

 one or other colour preponderates, or by the 

 coalescence of the spots. The larva hibernates, 

 and may be found from Autumn till Spring 

 on such plants as nettle, willow, etc., upon 

 which it feeds. The pupa is shining black. 



A. flavia, Esp. Fore wings black, with 

 a white costa, and intersecting white trans- 

 verse lines. Hind wings yellow, with black 

 spots. Antennae, head, and thorax black, 

 collar white. The abdomen is red, with black 

 spots and tip. Tliis rare species is only found 

 in the higher Alps of Switzerland and the 

 Tyrol. The larva is greyish yellow, and lives 



in July on various Alpine plants, such as 

 Mcspllliis cotoneastcr, Aconitum napcllus, Taraxacum, 

 etc. It remains hidden during the day under 

 large stones, and the pupa may also be foimd 

 in similar positions. 



A. villica, Linn. The Cream-spot Tiger. 

 PI. XVII. fig. g. is widely distributed in Eu- 

 rope, but is local. In England it is found 

 principally in the South. It is on the wing 

 in May and June, and flies in the daytime. 

 The caterpillar is velvety black, with lighter 

 hairs and white spiracles. It feeds in the Spring 

 on nettle, lettuce, Achillea, Alsinc media, etc. 

 The chrysalis is black, with reddish brown 

 incisions, and has a greyish white cocoon. 



A. purpurata, Linn. PL XVII. fig. 10. 

 is common in many parts of Central Europe 

 in June and July, but is not found in Britain. 

 The larva is black with yellow dorsal and lateral 

 lines, yellow or whitish warts on the sides, 

 and yellow or reddish brown hair. It feeds 

 on bedstraw. Salvia, Spartium, heath, nettle, etc. 

 The pupa is shiny brown with a light cocoon. 

 Var. flava, Staud. has the hind wings yellow. 



A. hebe, Linn. PL XVII. fig. 11. is widely 

 distributed in Central and Southern Europe, 

 especially in sandy localities. The moth ap- 

 pears in June. The caterpillar is black, with 

 greyish black hairs, tipped with whitish or 

 with yellow hairs, rusty yellow on the sides. 

 It feeds on weeds in uncultivated places in May. 



A. aulica, Linn. Fore wings dark cin- 

 namon-brown, with small pale yellow spots, 

 hind wings luteous, with a large or small black 

 spot on the hind margin, and a central spot. 

 The head, thorax, and antennae are cinnamon- 

 brown. The abdomen is dark yellow, with 

 black transverse bands, especially conspicuous 

 in the female. The moth appears in May and 

 June, and is found in fir-woods in Eastern 

 Europe. The larva is velvety black, with 

 rust-coloured sides. On the last three seg- 

 ments the hairs are longer, and of a black 

 colour. The rest of the hairs are rust-colour, 

 varied with black. It feeds on various low 

 plants growing in open places in the woods, 

 especially dandelion, plantain, and speedwell, 

 in the Spring. 



A. maculosa, W. V. Fore wings greyish 

 brown, with three transverse rows of velvety 

 black angular spots. Hind wings red, with a row 



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