The caterpillar (Plate [20], Fig. 4) is grey or greenish, speckled with white, and with raised black dots; there are three lines along the back, the central one white edged, broader and darker than the outer ones, which are sometimes white; a white-edged pale yellow stripe low down along the sides. In some examples the general colour is pinkish brown.
It feeds on restharrow (Ononis) in July and August, but can be reared on knotgrass, and has been known to thrive on the green pods of the scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The moth flies at dusk in June, sometimes earlier or later. It visits the flowers of various plants, especially those of Silene and Lychnis; also comes to the sugar patch and may be attracted by light. Although not generally common, it seems to be widely distributed over England and Wales, but is most frequent in the seaboard counties, and this is more particularly the case in the north. In Scotland it appears to occur from Berwick northwards to Moray, and in Ireland it has been noted from several of the littoral counties, chiefly southern, but also from Sligo.
The range abroad extends to the North-west Himalayas, Amurland, Corea, and Japan; the species also occurs in North America from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains.
The Marbled Clover (Heliothis dipsacea).
The ground colour of this species (Plate [19], Figs. 1, 2) ranges from yellowish to ochreous with a greyish, or olive, tinge; the central band including the reniform stigma is olive, or reddish brown, terminating on the inner margin in a cloud extending towards the hind margin; submarginal line preceded by a shade-like band similar in colour to the central one, but often only well defined on costal and inner margins; the whitish area of the hind wings is sometimes much reduced. The darker specimens are typical of the species, whilst those with the paler ground colour and brighter cross bands are referable to var. maritima, Grasl.
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| 2 Pl. 18. |
| 1. | Mullein: caterpillar. | 2. | Striped Lychnis: caterpillar. |
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| 3, 3a. | Starwort: caterpillar and chrysalis. |
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| 4. | Chamomile Shark: chrysalis and cocoon. |
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| 2 Pl. 19. |
| 1, 2. | Marbled Clover. | 3. | Spotted Clover. |
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| 4, 5. | Bordered Straw. | 6-8. | Scarce Bordered Straw. |
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| 9. | Pale Shoulder. | 10. | The Four-spotted. |
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