The Scarce Prominent (Odontosia carmelita).
In 1828, when Stephens figured this moth, he only knew of two British specimens, both of which had been reared about sixteen years previously from caterpillars found at Darenth Wood. The wings, which are not thickly scaled, are purplish grey, becoming reddish brown on the front margins of the fore wings; the outer transverse line of the fore wings starts from a conspicuous creamy patch on the front margin, and the line on the hind wings is most distinct above the anal angle, where it runs through a purplish cloud (Plate [33], Fig. 5).
In April and May the pale blue eggs are laid on the underside of birch leaves. The caterpillar in June feeds on the foliage of the birch, and when full grown is green freckled with yellowish above; a darker line runs along the middle of the back, and a reddish spotted, or tinted, yellow stripe along the sides; the small head, also green, is marked with yellowish. When the chrysalids are kept indoors the moths emerge earlier than in the open, and it therefore sometimes happens that eggs are laid and the caterpillars hatch before the birch leaves are ready for them. In such cases I have got over the difficulty in a measure by removing a portion of the outer covering of one or two of the most forward buds to give the caterpillars a chance of getting at the unexposed leaves. The moth emerges in April or May, and, as pointed out by Mr. R. Adkin, it sometimes remains in the chrysalis for two winters. Possibly this species may be found in most districts where birch abounds; but, so far as its distribution in our islands is known, it certainly appears to be distinctly local. Besides Darenth, it also occurs in West Wickham Wood, and at Wateringbury, in Kent; the Weybridge district, Dorking, and Haslemere, in Surrey; Ashdown Forest, Blackdown Woods, Haywards Heath, and Tilgate Forest, in Sussex; New Forest, Hampshire, and Berkshire. There seems to be no record of the moth having been found in any other part of England, except Keswick and Windermere. In Scotland it has been reported from Galashiels, Clydesdale, the Tay district, Argyleshire, and Moray.
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| Pl. 32. |
| 1, 1a, 1b. | Pale Prominent: egg, caterpillar and chrysalis. |
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| 2, 2a. | White Prominent: caterpillar and chrysalis. |
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| 3, 3a, 3b. | Coxcomb Prominent: egg, caterpillar and chrysalis. |
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| 4. | Maple Prominent: chrysalis. | 5, 5a. | Scarce Prominent: chrysalis and cocoon. |
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| Pl. 33. |
| 1. | White Prominent. | 2, 3. | Coxcomb Prominent. |
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| 4. | Maple Prominent. | 5. | Scarce Prominent. |
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| 6. | Pale Prominent. | 7. | Plumed Prominent, male; 8, female. |
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The Plumed Prominent (Ptilophora plumigera).