ACANTHOPSYCHE; PACHYTHELIA. By Dr. E. Wehrli. 
213 
I have made a point of trying to collect as much biological matter as possible for my task and will 
seek to transmit same. Unfortunately really useful observations and details of these small and unfortunately 
so insignificant creatures are only to be sparsely found in entomological literature. May I take this oppor¬ 
tunity to appeal to our expert professional and amateur breeders to pay greater attention to this “entomo¬ 
logical step-child”. It is an unusually interesting family and many problems of its biology still have to be 
solved and this can only be done by thorough and painstaking observation and careful and extensive breeding, 
for which unfortunately at the present moment, I have not the available time. 
b. Subfamily: Psychinae (Vol. 2, p. 354). 
3. Genus: Acaiitliopsyclie Heyl. 
A. atra L. (Vol. 2, p. 354, pi. 55 a). This species flies at midday in the sunshine on sunny slopes in atra. 
the mountains and in woods on hillsides. According to Vorbrodt it occurs up to 1800 m altitude. Time of 
emergence is given as the morning and afternoon. The <$ casing is found spun up nearer the ground than that 
of It is often found on grasses, scrub and rocks, whilst the $ casing is met with on tree-stems, fences, 
hedges etc. from the end of April. It occurs at lower altitudes from April onwards, in the mountains however 
up to July. — We are now giving an illustration of senex Stgr. (Vol. 2, p. 354) (14 g). 
A. zelleri Mn. (Vol. 2, p. 355, pi. 55 a). This species occurs at Granada and on the west coast of the zelleri. 
Continent. I have 3 specimens in my collection ex coll. Trautmann. Vorbrodt says it occurs at Locarno 
in southern Switzerland. Milliere’s indication that it occurs at Plaisia, Jura, France will therefore in all 
probability be correct. 
A. orophila Wrli. (14 g [<J type]). <J. In general shape and appearance like A. atra L. (Vol. 2, p. 354, orophila. 
pi 55 a) but larger. Wing expanse 20—21 mm against 17 mm. Antennae as in atra, pectinations longer towards 
the tip, cilia also longer. Thorax and abdomen more frail, thinner, hairiness similar. Forewings more elongate, 
semitransparent like the hindwings, blackish with distinct neuration. In contrast to atra, veins 4 and 5 of both 
wings on a short stalk, length of which is variable, neuration otherwise like atra. Fore-tibiae with very long 
spine ^ sac and early stages unknown. Kutscha mountains in the eastern Thien-shan at an altitude of 3500 m 
in July.' — A. himalayana Moore (Vol. 2, p. 355) differs by the forked intracellular nervule of the cell of 
both wings, as well as by the presence of vein 6. — A. inquinata Led. (Vol. 2, p. 355, pi. 55 a) is smaller, 
more densely scaled and according to Lederer s illustration, veins 4 and 5 are not stalked, although this 
is mentioned in Vol. 2 in connection with the hindwing. 
A. iliensis Wrli (14g type]). This is a smaller species of barely 14,5 mm expanse from the Hi iliensis. 
territory. ’ Head and body with moderately long hairs, dark black-brown. Wings grey, transparent, heavily 
black at base, opaque area reaching on forewings to y 3 rd with oblique fairly straight line of demarkation, 
on hindwings to %rds to the anal angle. A fairly large dark lnnule on forewing. Costa and fringes darker 
blackish. Can easily be distinguished from Oeceticoides nigraplaga Wil. and bipars Wkr. by the neuration and 
the differently outlined dark areas. Compare illustrations in Vol. 2, pi. 56 g. Whilst veins 4 and 5 in iliensis 
are widely separated from the cell, in the other species these veins are stalked on both wings. 
5. Genus: fi*acliytlielia 
Ww. 
P. villosella 0 . (Vol. 2, p. 356, ill. 55 a). This species is found in the west, far into the Spanish penin- villosella. 
sular, southwards to Sicily. From the latter locality I have 5 somewhat darker from Taormina Monte 
Venere, captured 5-7 June. It also occurs at Leghorn and is mentioned from Corsica. According to \ OR- 
BRODT it occurs on sunny slopes in mountainous territory to an altitude of 1900 m, flying about in the 
morning sun up to the middle of July. It is said however to emerge m the afternoon and evening of the 
day preceding the flight. According to Klimesch (Linz) the casings are found on trees, posts etc and fixer 
higher up than those of the ??.- The grey form cinerella Dup. (Vol. 2, p. 356), occurs according to Vorbrodt <nnerella. 
(5th Supplement), at Maroggia. He also has a remarkably large, similarly grey <J captured on 1-th July 19-3 
at Gampel in the Loetschental in the Valais. This should probably also be classified here. 
P. unicolor Him. (Vol. 2, p. 356, pi. 55 a). This has been observed westwards to Aragon, hut probably umcotor. 
penetrates as far southwards as’the preceding species. Curo mentions that it occurs hi Corsica. In the warm 
southerly valleys and the Valais, it occurs up to an altitude of 2000 m. It flies in warm sunny places m 
open forest land, chiefly towards the evening, but also m the early morning in June/July Accoicling 
the observations of Ratzow (Liibeck), the moths emerge at any time of the day or night, but the Light < s 
place only towards the evening and in the morning. At Bellinzona in the Tessin, where the species is common, 
I found a casing which was covered with tiny pieces of papei on a fence ncai a i< n. t. 
