1889.] 243 



NOTES ON TORTRIX DECRETANA, TE., WITH A DESCRIPTION OF 



ITS LARVA. 



BY EDWAED A. ATHOBE, F.E.8. 



During a short visit to King's Lynn in October, 1887, Mr. "W\ 

 Warren detected, a pair of this fine Tortrix amongst my captures for 

 that year, and subsequently the species was added to our Fauna {vide 

 Ent. Mo. Mag., xxiv, p. 125). A third specimen (a £) found among 

 my series of T. Podana must have been taken at least some three or 

 four years previously, and I have also since observed three females 

 among the series of Podana which were placed in the Lynn Museum 

 early in 1884. But my first acquaintance with the species appears to 

 have been made as far back as 1881, in which year I collected larvae 

 of several species of Tortrices feeding on Myrica gale (bog myrtle), 

 in order to separate and describe the larva of T. Lafauryana. I have 

 a distinct recollection of breeding at that time some specimens of T* 

 decretana, which, however, were passed over as merely pale forms of 

 Podana, and therefore received their liberty. This circumstance of 

 my having remembered breeding the insect in 1881 has served at least 

 one useful purpose, namely, that of furnishing a clue to the locality 

 which might in future be searched with a fair prospect of success, for 

 T. decretana seems to be very local. Accordingly, at the beginning of 

 July last year, I repaired to this locality and collected a large number 

 of larvae of several species of Tortrices feeding in various ways between 

 leaves and shoots of Myrica gale. 



After having carefully separated the apparently different larvse, 

 and kept them well supplied with food until they " struck work " to 

 undergo pupation, I anxiously awaited the result. My anticipations 

 were amply verified, for on July 29th, the first specimen of T. decretana 

 (a beautiful $) emerged. They now came out daily, as many as 

 eighteen, eight of which were females, emerging on August 4th. The 

 last specimen (a ? ) came out on the 10th, by which time I found 

 myself in possession of a fine series of some four dozen or more 

 specimens. It was but natural that I should seek to know more of 

 the habits of such an interesting species, and therefore, while the 

 imagines were emerging at home, some trips were undertaken to its 

 chosen locality. On one occasion with my friend Mr. C. G-. Barrett, 

 who has also succeeded in rearing some specimens, we managed to 

 disturb and secure a few specimens early in the evening, but as .the 

 evening advanced, the species was freely on the move, and several were 

 netted. The flight of the male is strong and exceedingly wild, re- 



