590 



THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



more striking. It feeds, in April and May, on hawthorn, sloe, 

 plum, and bilberry. 



Spring Usher {Bybemia leucophczarid), i 



On Plate 120 are shown the typical and more usual forms of 

 this variable species. Fig. 2 represents the male, and Fig. 4 



the female. The form with 

 blackish base and outer margin 

 is ab. 7narmormaria, Esper 

 (Plate 120, Fig. 5). Ab. 7neru- 

 laria, Weymer, is entirely black, 

 and a modification of this form 

 is shown in Fig. 6. Between 

 each of these extremes and 

 the type there are various gra- , 

 dations. ] 



The caterpillar is usually 

 some shade of green, with 

 yellowish lines on the back, 

 and some have brownish marks 

 on the sides ; in others there 

 are dark brown marks on the 



Fig. 9. 

 Spring- Usher at rest. 

 (Photo by W.J.Lucas.) 



back of each rmg. It feeds on the leaves of oak, in April and 

 May. 



The moth rests on tree-trunks, fences, etc., and the males 

 may be thus found during the day in February, earlier or later 

 in some seasons ; the female is less often obtained on trees and 

 fences, but may be beaten, together with the male, from the dead 

 leaves which remain upon oak and other bushes. 



The species appears to occur, more or less locally, in most of 

 the English counties ; it has also been recorded from Pembroke- 

 shire and Flintshire, in Wales. In Scotland, it is obtained in 



