GEOMETEM 



277 



FIG. 186. THE COMMON 

 WAVE. 



to be caught with the net at dusk, or they may be seen on 

 fences and tree trunks during the day, with their wings fully 

 extended and applied closely to the surface on which they rest. 



The larvae, which have no humps, feed on trees, and change to 

 the chrysalis state in light silken cocoons. 



The Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata} 



The first of our two examples of this small family is the 

 Common Wave, the wings of which are pale grey, almost white, 

 dusted all over with small dark dots. The fore wings are crossed 

 by three parallel and equidistant darker 

 transverse lines, and the hind pair by 

 two. The male may be distinguished by 

 its ciliated antennae. 



The caterpillar is yellow or greenish 

 yellow, with hinder segments slightly 

 swollen. It feeds during the latter part 

 of the summer on sallows (Salix caprea 

 and S. cinerea) and alder (Alnus gluti- 



nosa], and changes to a chrysalis in a light cocoon among fallen 

 leaves. In this state it spends the winter, the perfect insect 

 emerging in May or June. 



This species is very abundant in most parts. 



The Clouded Silver (Bapta temerata) 



The other example is the Clouded Silver, the wings of which 

 are white, and clouded along the hind margin with smoky grey. 

 On the hind margin of the fore wings, close to the fringe, is a row 

 of black crescent -shaped spots; and on 

 the inner side of the cloudings is a waved 

 transverse band. In the centre of the 

 same wings there is a very distinct dark 

 spot. 



This moth is not so common as the 

 last, but is widely distributed. It flies in 

 May and June. 



The caterpillar is bright green on the upper side, and has a row 

 of orange spots, bordered with brown, down the middle of the back. 

 It feeds in the autumn on the blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and 

 the wild cherry (P. Avium), and spends the winter in the chrysalis 

 state, inclosed in a light silken cocoon. 



FIG. 187 THE CLOUDED 

 SILVER. 



