BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



V mark on some of the segments. The pupa is reddish- 

 brown. The imago has greyish-brown fore and hind 

 wings, attractively ornamented with pretty markings. 



FAMILY BOARMIINm 



Magpie. — {Abraxas grossulariata.) Missing the large 

 array of Pug Moths, of which perhaps Eupithecia vul~ 

 gata is the commonest species, brings us to the 

 familiar Magpie Moth (Fig. 37) which belongs to the 



Family Boarmtince. The black and white form of the 

 perfect insect is well known, but it is subject to consider- 

 able variation. As a rule it occurs in July and August, 

 and is a common inhabitant of the garden, as well as the 

 countryside. The larva feeds upon various garden and 

 wild plants, and when it occurs in any numbers it is a 



serious pest. The larva is creamy-white, with blotches 

 84 



