PRACTICAL HINTS RELATING TO THE EUPITHECIIDS. 219 



The slender larva of Eitpithecia cuhjata, our commonest species, is 

 to be found in June and July, and again as a second brood in August 

 and September, on ragwort, golden-rod, hawthorn, willow, bramble, 

 raspberry, etc., feeding chiefly on the leaves, but also on the flowers; it 

 is, in fact, a most general feeder. 



The imago of Eupithecia valgata is to be seen almost everywhere 

 in May and June, and much more rarely again in August, resting on 

 fences, palings, in fact almost anywhere. Its natural time of flight is 

 in the late evening, by hedgesides, in gardens, etc. It sometimes 

 swarms at light. 



The wrinkled yellow larva of Ku/iithecia expaliidata is to be found 

 in September and October, on the flowers of golden-rod, preferring the 

 scattered: plants growing in open places in woods, or by the sides of the 

 wide open ridings passing through. In confinement it will eat 

 Michgelmas daisy. There are rarely more than one or two larvse on a 

 plant, and these appear to be best obtained by beating the golden-rod 

 on the sides of an umbrella. 



The imago of Eupithecia e.i-pallidata is to be found on the wing 

 from late June until August. It is not often seen by day, hiding 

 successfully among the herbage near its foodplant, and being rarely 

 disturbed, but at dusk it is more active, and, after dark, is often to be 

 found flying over, or settling upon, the blossoms of golden -rod, 

 heather, ragwort, etc., on the nectar of which it appears to feed 

 greedily, its tongue deep in the nectar of a floret, and its wings 

 standing upright over its back, when it can be taken with the fingers 

 quite easily. 



The larva of E}ipithecia absi/nthiata is to be obtained from August 

 until November upon the flowers of Senecio jacobaea, S. erucifolia, 

 Snlidago virgaurea, Enpatorium cannahinum, Artemisia vulgaris, Achillea 

 millefolium, etc. It may sometimes be beaten into an umbrella in great 

 numbers from ragwort flowers in September, pupating on the surface 

 of the ground, and emerging the next spring without trouble. 



The imago of Eupithecia absgnthiata emerges in .June and July, is 

 sometimes to be found sparingly at rest on fences, etc., near its food- 

 plants, or disturbed from among the herbage and wildflowers growing 

 among them, although always very scarce compared with the 

 abundance of the larvte. After dusk it is sometimes to be taken freely 

 whilst feeding on the nectar of the flowers of various composite plants. 

 The short, thick, larva of Eupithecia minutata is to be found in 

 August and September on the blossoms and seeds of Calluna vulgaris 

 and Erica tetralix, on which it is locally common, and may be obtained 

 by sweeping. 



The imago of Eupithecia ininutata is to be found by day by walking 

 through the heather, but is much more abundant at dusk, when on the 

 wing, flying over the same plant, in June and July. 



The slender larva of Eupithecia assiniilata is to be found in June 

 and July, and again in September and October as a partial second- 

 brood, on black- and red-currant bushes in gardens, or in hedges on 

 wild hop. 



The imago of Eupithecia assimilata is sometimes to be found com- 

 monly on the fences of gardens where currant bushes are still in exist- 

 ence, or it maybe beaten out of hedges in the daytime, where wild hop 

 grows ; at night it comes freely to flowers, and also to light. 



