NOTES ON BRITISH ALUCITIDES IN THE WATERINGBURY DISTRICT. 207 



A few notes on some of the British Alucitides observed in 1909 

 in the Wateringbury district. 



By EDWARD GOODWIN, F.E.S. 



GiLLMERiA ocHRODACTYLA. — Tliis speciGs sGeiiis to be vei'y local. I 

 could only iind it at one place, on the Medway, where I took a fair 

 number of larvte. The first imago emerged Jul}^ 14th, the last 

 August 7th, practically none being stung. 



Capperia heterodactyla (teucrii). — One imago captuied at Boxley 

 on August 3i'd. 



Oxypitlus PARviDACTYLus. — CaptuTcd June 17th at Boxley. 



Marasmarcha lun.edactyla (ph.^sodactyla). — The larVfP were 

 exceedingly common on a small patch of restharrow, near Eyarsh. 

 The first imago was reared on July 7th, and they were all out in a week. 



Adkinia bipunctidactyla. — First captured on August 24th. This 

 species is uncommon here. 



OiD,5:MAroPHORus lithodactylus. — I took small larvae of this 

 species freel,y in April and May, at many places on the chalk-hills. 

 First to emerge July 8th, and the}- continued to come out throughout 

 July and August. 



Emjielina monodactyla. — First noticed (a pair) on August 17th. 



OvENDENiA septodactyla (lienigianus). — Larv* were very common 

 locally. Emergence took place between June 25th and July 17th. 



Hellinsia carphodactyla. — I was pleased to find some larvae of 

 this species on the chalk-hills during May and late April. The insects 

 (first brood) emerged between June 17th and July 19th. Very nearly 

 all were reared, in fact apparently none was stung. Generally emerge 

 in the night, occasionally in morning. 



Merrifieldia tridactyla (tetradactyla) and M. baliodactyla. — 

 These were captured at Ryarsh on August Ifith, the only occasion 

 on which I tried for them. 



PoRRiTTiA galactodactyla. — Imagines emerged between June 10th 

 and July 5th. The larv* were very common everywhere throughout 

 the district. 



Stenoptilia pterodactyl,a and Alucita pentadactyla. — I bred a 

 number of S. pterudacti/la and A. pentadactyla. The larvae of the latter 

 were exceedingly common on a pink convolvulus close to my back 

 door. 



Leioptilus tephradactylus. — Larvfe of Leioptilus tejiJiiadactijlns 

 commenced feeding at the beginning of April after hybernation. At 

 this time the larva; were, on the average, about one-third grown, but 

 they varied in size considerably. In colour they were creamy- white or 

 yellowish-white. At first they would eat one or two irregular round 

 holes in a leaf, afterwards they ate from the edge of a leaf either fully 

 expanded or unexpanded. Their resting-place in the da3-time was on 

 the midrib, generally head downwards on the underside of the petiole 

 near the base, where they were very inconspicuous. Later on, they 

 are easily found, their presence being betrayed by the amount of feeding. 

 They appeared to come up to feed in the early evening — about an 

 hour before sunset. When feeding they lie on the top of the leaf. 

 They fall from their resting- or feeding-place at the slightest 

 disturbance, rolling in a loose ring and often disappearing in the 

 surrounding herbage and rubbish. Occasionally, but not often, they 



