THE SMALL MOTTLED WILLOW. 3^9 



and are usually present even when most or all the other mark- 

 ings are absent. The caterpillar is greyish brown, often tinged 

 with green above; the lines are faintly paler, and edged with 

 darker: head blackish. It feeds from September to May on 

 grasses, seeds of plantain; also on peas and corn; often 

 common in stacks of wheat and other grain. 



The moth flics chiefly in July and August, but it is sometimes 

 seen as early as May and as late as October. Generally dis- 

 tributed, and often very common. Except that it does not 

 occur in America the range abroad is almost as extensive as 

 that of the next species. 



The Small Mottled Willow {Caradrina exigua). 



This species (Plate 151, Fig. 11) practically ranges over the 

 globe. It is the " Beet Army- worm " of American economic ento- 

 mologists ; whilst in South Africa it is known in the early stage 

 as " The Pigweed Caterpillar." In Asia, and especially in India, 

 where it is destructive to the indigo plants, maize, etc., it is a 

 familiar pest, but does not seem to bear a common name. As 

 regards our own country, it was apparently unnoticed until 

 somewhere about the middle of the last century, when a 

 specimen was captured in the Isle of Wight. Its occurrence 

 here is always considered a noteworthy event, but the records 

 are very scanty except for the years 1896, 1897, 1900-03, and 

 1906. In the latter year there seems to have been an invasion 

 on quite a large scale, and captures in some localities on the 

 south and south-west coasts must have been in hundreds, whilst 

 the species was also taken in fewer numbers in P2ssex, Surrc)^, 

 Wiltshire, Somerset, and South Wales. A specimen occurred 

 at Crosby, Lanes., in 1884. In 1903 one example was taken at 

 Chester, Cheshire. At Keighley, Yorks, eight were secured, 

 which, added to three taken in other years, gives a total of 

 eleven specimens for the count)-. In Ireland one example was 



