The caterpillar (Plate [128], Fig. 3, from a photo by Mr. H. Main) is green, brownish green, or purplish brown; in the green form, which is minutely dotted with white, there is generally a faint purplish line along the back, two purplish knobs on ring 8, and a purplish patch enclosing two ochreous spots on ring 11; the deeply notched head is ochreous, shaded with purplish; the last ring of the body is tinged with purplish, as also are the two small points thereon. It feeds, from July to September, on oak, birch, elm, beech, sallow, plum and other fruit trees; also on rose, bramble, etc. The moth is out in May and June,
sometimes in July. The species is generally distributed, and sometimes common in the caterpillar state, but seems to be absent from the Scottish Isles.
Waved Umber (Hemerophila (Synopsia) abruptaria).
Fig. 17.
Waved Umber at rest.
(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)
A male and a female specimen are figured on Plate [130]. The males are usually darker than the females, but they vary in the amount of darker clouding and suffusion. Three forms of the species have been named as follows—ab. brunneata, Tutt, a modification of the female rather more strongly coloured than the darkest typical male. Ab. fuscata, Tutt, sooty brown, tending to blackish; both sexes somewhat paler in central area of fore wings. Ab. unicolor, Tutt, similar to ab. fuscata, but without pale marking; the thorax is also darker. (Plate [134], Fig. 7, ab. fuscata.) The eggs, furnished by Mr. Norman Riley, were verdigris green when laid, but on the third day changed to greyish.
In general colour the caterpillar is greyish brown sometimes tinged with green; pinkish brown blotches along the back, often united on the front and hind rings. In some cases the caterpillar is almost black, with a lighter mark on front of the first ring. It feeds on privet and lilac, and is said to eat currant, broom, and jasmine: May to August. (Plate [133], Fig. 3.)
The moth is out in April and May, and is fond of resting on palings, trees, and even walls. It appears to be most plentiful