16 



BEITISH MOTHS. 



large almost triangular blotch in the middle, 

 black ; antennae, of the female only, whitish 

 before the tip ; thorax black, with two pale 

 yellow lines ; body black, with two yellow 

 belts; tail-fringe black, with a few yellow 

 hairs. The caterpillar feeds on the wood of 

 birch trees ; the Moth appears in June, and 

 has only been found by the late Mr. Ash- 

 worth, near Llangollen, in North Wales. 

 (The scientific name is Sesia Scoliceformis.) 



26. The White-Barred (Jlearwing (Sesia Sphegi- 

 formit). 



26. THE WHITE-BARRED CLEARWINCK Fore 

 wings transparent, with black margins, and a 

 black bar just beyond the middle; antennas 

 in both sexes with a white space just before 

 the tip; thorax and body black, the latter 

 with two white belts, the first a very narrow 

 one at the base, the second a broad one in the 

 middle: tail-fringe black. The caterpillar 

 feeds on the stems of the alder; the Moth 

 appears in May and June, and is exceedingly 

 rare. (The scientific name is Sesia Spheg^ 

 formis.) 



27. The Dusky Clcarwing (Setia Vespiformis). 



27. THE DUSKY CLEARWING. Fore wings 

 opaque, blackish ; head black, with a yellow 

 neck, thorax and abdomen black, the latter 

 with three equi-distant, distinct yellow belts, 

 and between each two an extremely slender 

 narrow line ; tail-fringe black. The cater- 

 pillar feeds on the roots of ash and aspen 

 trees ; the Moth appears in June, and is ex- 

 ceedingly rare (The scientific name is Sesia 



28. The Hornet Clearwing of the Osier (Sesia Jtrmh* 

 ciformis). 



28. THE HORNET CLEARwnra OF THE OSIER. 

 Fore wings transparent, tinged with yellow ; 

 head brown, with a yellow neck ; body yellow, 

 with a brown belt at the base, and another 

 near the middle ; no tail-fringe ; legs orange. 

 The caterpillar feeds on the wood of osier, 

 spinning a tough cocoon in twigs so small 

 that they seem scarcely large enough for 

 the purpose: the Moth appears at Mid- 

 summer. (Th, scientific name is Sesia 

 Bembeciformis.) 



19. The Hornet Clearwing of the Poplar (Setia Ap%* 



formis). 



29. THE HORNET CLEARWHKJ OF THE POP- 

 LAR. Fore wings transparent, tinged with 

 yellow ; head yellow ; thorax brown, with a 

 square patch of bright yellow on each side in 

 front ; body yellow, with a brown belt near 

 the base, and another near the middle ; legs 

 deep-orange. The caterpillar feeds on the solid 

 wood of aspens and poplars, and lives often 

 concealed for two years ; when full-fed, it 

 spins a tough cocoon, made of silk and the 

 chips of the poplar, often near the ground ; 

 the Moth appears about Midsummer, and is 

 exactly like a hornet in size, colour, and shape ; 

 indeed, it would be difficult to distinguish it 

 from a hornet, were it not for its soft, downy 

 covering, so different from the hard case of a 

 hornet. (The scientific name is Sesia Ajti- 

 f or mis.') 



