COLLECTING THE GENUS EUPITHECIA. 141 



may be found on palings or tree-trunks quite early in April and 

 through May ; while the second brood occurs in August. It is 

 by no means a common species of the genus, although it occurs 

 in many localities. The larvae feed — the summer brood in July 

 and August on clematis, and the autumn brood in August and 

 September upon flowers of the hemp-agrimony and golden-rod. 

 It is well worth rearing, as the bright colour of perfect specimens 

 so soon disappears in a state of nature. The autumnal food may 

 be kept in the bags already described ; and having beaten a few 

 flower-heads into an umbrella or beating-tray, and found a larvae 

 or two, it is unnecessary to look for more, but simply gather the 

 food without shaking it too much, and trust to seeing these 

 perfect little gems in due course next spring. 



In June we must be up betimes in the morning, if we 

 would like a good series of E. fraxinata. Our business will be 

 to examine the trunks of ash trees between eight and nine o'clock 

 in the morning. If the species is there, and we may expect it 

 wherever ash grows in plenty, we shall find the moths just 

 emerging from pupa, and drying their wings. The larvae pupate 

 among the crevices in the rough bark of the trees, where sharp 

 eyes can find the pupse in their silken cocoons. Otherwise this 

 moth is difficult to get, for they soon leave the tree trunks as 

 they dry their wings, and as the day advances. The larvae may 

 be beaten from ash in August, with occasional larvae of Eugonia 

 fuscantaria ; but the moths are rarely seen when flying. 

 E. fraxinata appears to prefer old well-grown trees. 



Until the larvae were accidentally discovered by Mr. Baker, 

 late of Derby, E. valerianata was considered a rare species. It 

 was then known as E. viminata ; and one day Mr. Baker had 

 thrashed some osiers long and valiantly, but to no purpose, 

 thinking, as the name implied, the willow leaves were the food. 

 Tired and disgusted he gathered a bunch of the common 

 valerian, then in the full beauty of its delicate lavender flowers, 

 to ornament his home. On looking them over for chance 

 larvae, nothing was to be seen ; but later at night, on suddenly 

 entering the darkened room where they had been placed in 

 water, to his astonishment the whole bunch of flowers was alive 

 with larvae of this moth. So it is with many Eupithecia larvae ; 

 it is waste of time to look for them ; and it is best to carry home 

 the food, and deal with them as described in the first portion of 



