BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



tridens. Instead of having a reddish stripe down the 



Groy Dagger. ' ^'S'9 



back, that of this species is bright yellow, margined on 

 either side with spots of red. 



FAMILY TRIFINM 



Turnip. — {Agrotis (Euxoa) segetum.) Of wide dis- 

 tribution, haunting fields of swedes and turnips, this 

 moth is a farmer's pest. It is preyed upon, and its 

 numbers thus kept in check, by Starlings. I have seen 

 large companies of these sagacious birds searching 

 industriously for the larvae, and clearing whole areas of 

 affected plants. It feeds for several months, and attacks 

 both leaves and bulb. The greyish-brown larva is 

 variously marked with glossy spots, dark lines, etc. 

 Both sexes of the imago are much alike, the fore wings 

 being yellowish-brown, and the hindwings whitish. 



Heart and Club. — {Agrotis {Euxoa) corticea.) June 

 and July sees this fairly well distributed species on the 

 wing, and it feeds in March and April on such plants as 



54 



