188 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



The perfect insect appears in the months of June 

 and July, and may often be met with flying in the day- 

 time or towards dusk over the tops of the heather ; it 

 also comes freely to light and sugar. 



FAMILY VII. NOCTUID^. 



TRIPHjENA IANTHINA. THE LESSER BROAD- 

 BORDERED YELLOW UNDERWINa. 



(Plate VII., Fig. 4.) 



This handsome moth is common throughout the 

 country. 



The expansion of the wings is 1J inch. The fore- 

 wings are of a brownish ground-colour, elegantly tinged 

 with reddish or violet ; from the middle of the costa is 

 a pale violet blotch, extending to and almost including 

 the orbicular stigma ; beyond the middle of the wing is 

 a broad wavy pale band, followed by a dull, dark red 

 triangular spot on the costa, which precedes the sub- 

 terminal line ; the hind- wings are bright orange, 

 clouded with black at the base, and with a broad, deep 

 black band before the hind margin. 

 - The larva is greyish-ochreous, with a paler dorsal 

 line, and with two conspicuous black spots on each of 

 the ninth to twelfth segments; it feeds at night in 

 early spring on the leaves of primrose, dock, and other 

 low plants, hiding itself during the daytime near the 

 roots of the plant. 



The perfect insect appears about the middle of July 

 and in August ; it often flies very freely of its own 

 accord, with a wild, dashing flight, in the afternoon and 

 towards evening ; it also flies after dark, and comes 

 freely to sugar and to light. 



