208 EPHESTIA SEMIRUFA. 



EPHESTIA SEMIRUFA. 



Just opposite one of my windows (at Tarrington, 

 Ledbury) stands a fine old ivy bush, and one dark 

 night in September, 1886, when Nocture were coming 

 freely to a light in the room, there flew in along with 

 them a rather worn knot-horn, that did not quite look 

 like the common Ephestia elutella ; so, instead, of 

 being dropped there and then into the ammonia 

 bottle, it was put on one side with the hope that, as 

 it was a female, eggs might be obtained. A few were 

 fortunately laid, and they soon hatched. 



The larvaB fed up the same autumn on nut-kernels, 

 spun their cocoons in rolls of paper, and pupated 

 some time in May, the perfect insects (2 <$ , 2 $ ) 

 coming out in June. Specimens were recently sent 

 to Mr. Barrett, who at once pronounced them to be 

 E. semirufa. 



The larva is cylindrical, of moderate proportions, 

 tapering but slightly at either extremity. It is white, 

 tinged on the upper surface with pale smoky. The 

 head is pale brown or amber. The thoracic plate is 

 black, divided by a pale line. The anal plate is also 

 black. The spots are black, small, but distinct; the 

 trapezoidals arranged almost in a straight line, one 

 behind the other. 



There yet remains one point deserving, perhaps, a 

 few remarks. Although my larvse took very kindly 

 to their nuts, it is not to be supposed that they feed 

 upon them in a wild state, but probably, like many of 

 their congeners, they have accommodating appetites, 

 and live on almost any kind of material, animal or 

 vegetable, provided only it be not living. This being 

 so, it may not have been accidental that it was out of 

 ivy that Dr. Jordan beat his specimens many years 

 ago in Devonshire, or that in my own case the same 

 plant grew close at hand, for these old ivy bushes 



