PoREiTT : The Beitish Pyeales. 



71 



lemnalis feeds on duckweed in April, stratiolcdis on Callitriche vevna 

 and Stratiotes aloides in April and May ; and nymphsalis^ stagnalis^ 

 and niveus on Potamageton, the first two also in April and May, niveus 

 in June and July. 



BotydiS, the next family, is an extensive one, being formed of nine 

 genera, and no less than thirty-one species. We will take them in 

 order. The first — Botys — has ten, viz : — lupulinalis, pandalis, Jlavalis, 

 kyalinalis, verticalis, lancealis^ fiiscalis^ ierrealis^ asinalis, and urticalis. 

 Only one of them is rare — lupulinalis ; several are local ; the others 

 include the largest as well as some of the best known of the Pyrales. 

 They are found amongst weeds at the foot of hedgerows, amongst 

 underwood in woods, on railway embankments, &c., and in fine 

 weather, being easily disturbed with the beating-stick, a good series 

 may generally be easily obtained in the daytime, in places where they 

 occur. These remarks will apply not only to this genus, but to the 

 whole family, and is in fact the usual method of collecting them. Of 

 the genus Botys only three species occur with us — verticalis, fuscalis, 

 and urticalis, and of these urticalis only in any plenty, fuscalis is 

 rarely taken, and Dungeon Wood is the only spot where I have ever seen 

 verticalis ; all three are abundant species in most places. Lupulinalis^ 

 as I said before, is very rare, but several specimens seem to have 

 occurred in various parts of the Isle of Wight, and the last recorded 

 example was taken by Mr. 0. G. Barrett in the London district. 

 Surely it ought to turn up more freely in the hop-fields of Kent ; 

 but it is not a little odd that the recorded specimens are not from the 

 hop-growing counties. Pandalis I took commonly at Abbotts' 

 Wood, Sussex, at the beginning of June last, and it is not uncommon 

 in woods in other southern counties. Flavalis, hyalitialis, lancealis, 

 and asinalis are also most at home in the south ; Jiyalinalis 

 I have got near Strood, Kent j of asinalis I received a number of 

 larvae from Bristol (its best locality) in May last ; fuscalis I have 

 taken in most districts I have worked at the time it is on the wing, 

 both north and south. It is common in the Isle of Man. Terrealis 

 is somewhat common near Grange, and its interesting larva I had the 

 pleasure of describing in the " Entomological Monthly Magazine " in 

 February last. The larvae of all the species I have seen are semi- 

 transparent creatures with prominent warts, and very lively. That of 

 lupulinalis is said to feed in stems of hop in July, and probably 

 hibernates ; those of pandalis, Jlavalis, and Jiyalinalis seem to be 

 altogether unknown ; verticalis on the common nettles, between the 

 leaves, in May ; lancealis on Eupatorinm cannabinum, Sium lafifoUmnj 



