264 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The caterpillar, which feeds on the seeds of cock's-foot 

 {Dactylis) and other kinds of grass from May to early July, is 

 whitish green and glossy ; three whitish stripes on the back, 

 the central one broadest ; a stripe below the black spiracles is 

 whitish, edged above with green. Mullein {Verbasaim) has 

 also been mentioned as eaten by this caterpillar. The moth 

 is out in July and in August, and may often be seen resting on 

 the flowers of knapweed {Centaurca) in the daytime. It flies 

 at night, and has been taken at the flowers of centaurea, rag- 

 wort, etc., and at light. In some districts it is said to visit the 

 sugar patch, but not to do so in other localities. Occurs in the 

 chalk districts of most southern English counties, and especially 

 those of Kent and Sussex ; also, but only rarely, in Warwick- 

 shire and Yorkshire. One specimen has been recorded from 

 Pembrokeshire in Wales. 



The Or ache Moth {Trachea ainpUcis). 



In the past this greenish-mottled brownish moth (Plate 126, 

 Fig 5) appears to have been commoner, and more widely dis- 

 tributed in England than it now is. Wilkes, in 1773, referring to 

 it as "The Wild Arrach," states that it was taken occasionally 

 near London. At the present time the species seems to occur 

 only in the eastern counties, and chiefly in Cambridgeshire. In 

 June, 1 90 -I- and 1905, specimens (three in all) were obtained 

 at sugar in Huntingdonshire. The caterpillar is ochreous or 

 reddish brown, dotted with white ; three dark lines on the back, 

 the central one only distinct. A yellowish stripe along the 

 black-edged white spiracles ; head light reddish brown, glossy. 

 It feeds in July and August on orach {Atriplex\ persicaria, 

 knot-grass, and will also eat dock. The range abroad extends 

 to Amurland, Corea, and Japan. 



Note.— -It may be mentioned here that Prodenia litto7'alis^ 

 Boisd., an inhabitant of tropical and sub-tropical regions, has 



