52 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The Scarce Bordered Straw (Heliothis armigera). 



This species (Plate 19, Figs. 6-8) has an almost universal 

 distribution. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and 

 Australia. As regards the British Isles, it was first recorded by 

 Mr. Edleston, who noted a specimen taken at Salford, Lanca- 

 shire, by Mr. John Thomas, in September, 1840. This specimen, 

 also one captured at Mickleham, Surrey, and others " taken in 

 various localities," are referred to in the Ento7nologist''s Annual 

 for 1855. The following year one was reported from Exeter 

 and one from the Isle of Wight. The summer of 1859 was a hot 

 one (as were the two previous summers), and the species was 

 recorded from the following localities : Brighton, Bristol, Cam- 

 bridge, Edmonton, Isle of Wight, Ramsgate, Torquay, Weston- 

 super-Mare, Worthing, and other places. Apart from the 

 captures on the Devonshire coast, chiefly at Torquay, where 

 the moth seems to occur pretty nearly every year, the records 

 since 1859 are: 1866 (Scarborough); 1871 (Wakefield) ; 1876 

 (Hartlepool, and Kentish Coast) ; 1877 and 1881 (Gloucester); 

 1890 (Chatham) ; 1895 (Tunbridge Wells) ; 1901 (Isle of 

 Wight) ; 1902 (Chester and Harwich); 1903 (Lewes). In all 

 cases only single specimens. The species has been noted once 

 in South Wales, and twice in North Wales ; several specimens 

 were secured in 1898 near Berwick-on-Tweed, and odd speci- 

 mens have been recorded from Ireland. 



The caterpillar is variable in colour ; in one form it is green 

 with a yellowish stripe along the sides, and in another the 

 colour is purplish brown. The form figured (Plate 20, Fig. 2) is 

 pinkish brown with a black-edged whitish line along the back, 

 and a pinkish freckled and brownish edged yellowish stripe 

 along the sides ; the raised dots are white as a rule, but some- 

 times in the darker forms they are blackish. In some examples 

 of the green form the dots and lines are black. 



