LEPIDOPTERA. 



239 



Genus AUGYRESTIIIA. 



Stainton^ gives tlie following cliaractt'is for this genus — viz., 

 "Imago, head rough; the face smooth; no maxillary paljii ; labial 

 palpi rather short, the teiniinal joint blunt or slightly pointed ; fore 

 wings elongate ; hind wings lanceolate, with long fringes. 



"The insects of the genus An/yredhia are distinguished by their 

 position in repose, as the hind pair of legs are laid alongside the body, 

 which is elevated at a considerable angle, the insect's head being 

 almost in contact with the sub- 

 stance on which it rests." 



ArGYRKSTHIA L/EVIGATELLA 



(H. Sch.) 



In all proba1)ility this is a 

 forest insect which has escaped 

 attention for a considerable time. 

 The first record of it in this coun- 

 try is given by Dr Somerville and 

 ]\Ir John Bennett so recently as 

 July 1907." The insect w^as not 

 difficult to determine, from its 

 damage to the larch, as a very 

 good figure is given by Niisslin ; 

 and though not hitherto recorded 

 in this country, it is just possible that it may have been overlooked, 

 owing to the close resemblance of the damage accruing from the pine- 

 weevil {HyloUus ahietis). At all events, I now find the creature 

 fairly common in ISTorthumberland, and that I mistook the injuries 

 as suggested. The larval action is that the leading shoot is killed, as 

 shown in fig. 237. 



DrE. S. MacDougall gives the following description of the insect:^ — 



^^ Moth. — The moth is very small, measuring only 4 to 5 millimetres 



(less than one-fifth of an inch) in length and 10 to 12 millimetres in 



spread of wings. The fore wings are silver-grey and silky, with a 



1 Manual of Butterflies and Moths. 



" Quarterly Journal of Forestry, vol. i., No. 3. 



^ Journal of the Board of Agriculture, vol. xiv., No. 7. 



Fig. 237 



-Topsofyouwi larch-trees injuml bii 

 ne o/Argyres'thia Isevigatella. 



