EARLY MOTH. 289 



are almost absent, but in others they are very distinct and 

 blackish in colour ; the orange yellow band in the outer 

 marginal area varies in width and in strength, but it is 

 usually present, even in the sooty brown form ab. nigrofidvata, 

 Collins (Plate 61, Fig. 7), described from Delamere, Cheshire, 

 also found in Shropshire, and recorded from " Oakley Wood." 



The caterpillar (Plate 123, Fig. 2) is green, with white or 

 creamy transverse lines and stripes ; head, reddish. Another 

 form is pale ochreous grey or brownish, with pale grey lines and 

 stripes ; head, almost black, with purple tinge. It feeds on the 

 needles of Scots pine {Pimis sylvestrzs), in July and August, 

 and occasionally in September and October. A photograph 

 of the chrysalis by Mr. H. Main, enlarged to twice natural 

 size, is shown on Plate 123. 



The moth is to be found in fir woods, where it lurks among 

 the branches or sits on the trunks, or on the fallen needles on 

 the ground. The moths of the first generation appear in June 

 and July and, where it occurs, the second iiies in August and 

 September. Widely distributed over the British Isles, but not 

 noted north of Moray, in Scotland. 



Early Moth {Hybemia mpicapraria). 



Although generally common, and often abundant, over 

 England, Wales, the south of Scotland, and Ireland, this 

 species (Plate 120, Figs, i J, 3 $) hardly ever comes under 

 notice unless hedgerows and hawthorn bushes are examined 

 in January and February, by the aid of a lantern, after darkness 

 has set in. Then the males, and almost wingless females, will 

 be found in numbers, sitting at the ends of the twigs. 



The caterpilla'r is whitish green, clouded with darker green, 

 striped with white along the back, and marked with white on 

 the sides. The general colour is sometimes very dark green, 

 approaching black, and in this form the white markings are 



Series II. U 



