332 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



less tinged with grey ; the submarginal Hne, and the stigmata, 

 are usually distinct, but the other cross lines are only indicated 

 by blackish dots on the veins. In Ireland the specimens are 

 creamy white and very often tinged with pink (Fig. 5), but in 

 the New Forest, Hants (Fig. 7), and in the marshes of North 

 Kent (Fig. 6), deep purplish grey, purplish brown, and reddish 

 (var. ritfesccns, Cockerel) forms occur. 



The caterpillar is green, sometimes tinged with yellowish or 

 with bluish ; usual spots whitish ; three whitish or yellowish 

 lines along the back and one along the sides, the latter shaded 

 above with dark green or blackish ; head ochreous brown. It 

 feeds from May to July on meadow-sweet (Sp/rcra), fleabane 

 (/nu/d), purple loosestrife (^Lythi'um salicaria\ yellow loose- 

 strife {Lysiinachia vulgaris), sweet-gale, sallow, bramble, etc. 

 The moth is out in April and May, and is often plentiful at 

 damson and plum blossom, as well as sallow catkins. The 

 species is widely distributed throughout the greater part of the 

 British Isles, but is perhaps more generally common in the 

 southern and eastern counties of England. The range abroad 

 extends to Japan. 



