TORTRICIDJ^—PF.RONEA. 237 



central band usually obscure or hardly perceptible, but 

 occasionally red-grey, very broad on the costa and reaching 

 almost to the apex, but rapidly diminishing as it crosses the 

 wing and often not attaining the dorsal margin ; hinder area 

 sometimes clouded with the same, but usually slate-grey ; 

 cilia concolorous. Hind wings and their cilia pale smoky- 

 brown. Female similar. 



Underside of the fore wings shining smoky brown ; costa 

 dotted with white. Hind wings white. 



Variation is in the directions indicated above, and is some- 

 times of local character ; the pale forms with distinct costal 

 triangle being especially frequent in Epping Forest ; also 

 it became suddenly frequent in Surrey after apparent 

 absence. 



On the wing from July to October, apparently without 

 hybernating. 



Larva delicate pale green, with light bristles ; head 

 honey-yellow ; dorsal plate of the colour of the body, with 

 black dots on the sides. (Zeller.) 



June, July and August on beech in a slight web on the 

 underside of a leaf or between joined leaves ; also on birch, 

 hornbeam, oak, and mountain ash. 



The moth sits by daj'^ in a beech or hornbeam tree or 

 a neighbouring bush, but if beaten out usually swings slowh' 

 round to the ground. At dusk it flies naturally, and will often 

 come to the light of a window, or to ivy-bloom, or "sugar." 

 Not uncommon in the London suburbs, where its food-plants 

 exist ; common in woods among beech or hornbeam 

 throughout England, except perhaps in some parts of the 

 Midlands ; also in Wales and throughout the Lowlands of 

 Scotland. In Ireland it has been noticed near Dublin and 

 Cork, and in Sligo and Antrim. Abroad it is found 

 throughout Central Europe, Northern Italy, Dalmatia and 

 Livonia, also in Sweden and Norway. 



