Class III.
Caterpillars armed with Spikes.
Sect. a.
Whose Chrysalis hangs by the Tail perpendicularly downwards.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
I.
Cl. 3. S. a. 1.
The ADMIRABLE BUTTERFLY. The great Stinging Nettle is the Food of this Caterpillar, which is to be found by observing where the Nettle-Leaves appear to be folded or spun together, for within such Leaves the Caterpillar feeds. It turns in August to a Chrysalis, hanging perpendicularly downwards by the Tail, fourteen Days after the Chrysalis is formed the Fly appears. The Caterpillars shelter themselves after this Manner, that they may be the better secured from the too great Heat of the Sun, from Rain, Birds, and a small Ichneumon Fly, which often hinders their coming to Perfection, by laying its Eggs therein, which Eggs are of such a glutenous Nature, that they stick fast as soon as laid. Some of the Chrysalides appear as if gilded with burnished Gold, but such usually produce not a Butterfly, but a Brood of small, though very beautiful Ichneumons. The Fly may be taken in Gardens and other Places, it feeds on Fruit that lies under Trees, &c. and is no uncommon Fly. It lives quite through the Winter.
See Goedart, Vol. 1. Tab. 26. Pag. 96. Fig. Opt. List. Fig. 4. Gr. V. 2. Pag. 81. Tab. 81. Fig. Opt. Moff. 100. Num. 6. An. Hoef. Tab. 12. Fig. 15. Raii, Hist. Insect. P. 126. Albin, Pl. 3. Reaumur, Pl. 10. Pag. 284, Vol. 1.
The Great Stinging-Nettle.
Urtica major vulgaris. J. B.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
II.
Cl. 3. S. a. 2.
The PEACOCK-BUTTERFLY. You must look for the Caterpillar that produces this Fly in the great Stinging-Nettle. They are sociable and feed together, are very easy to find, and may be taken full fed towards the End of June, at which Time many of them change to the Chrysalis, and about fourteen Days after the Fly appears. It is very common, and may be taken on Thistles, Burdock, Clover, &c. The Chrysalis of this Fly, as well as the preceding, sometimes looks as if gilt with Gold: but such fine outsides usually produce Ichneumons. This Fly likewise lives all the Winter.
See Reaumur, Pl. 25. Pag. 446. Vol. 1. Goed. Vol. 1. P. 23. Fig. opt. 1. List. Fig. 1. Graf. Vol. 1. Tab. 26. Pag. 53. Raii, Hist. Insect. Pag. 122. N. 14. Moufet, P. 99. N. 4. Hoef. Tab. 12. Fig. opt. 9. Johns. Inst. 40. n. 4. Tab. 5. Albin, Pl. 4. Rosel, Cl. 1. T. 3.
Smith’s Newington Peach.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
III.
Cl. 3. S. a. 3
The PAINTED-LADY-BUTTERFLY. In this Plate two Butterflies are represented, the upper one of which is the Painted Lady. Its Caterpillar feeds on the great Stinging-Nettle, Thistles, &c. changes to a Chrysalis within the Leaves folded together in the Middle of June, is fourteen Days in that State, and then the Fly comes forth. It may be taken on the same Growths as the last, but is not so common.
Figure 4 represents, the SMALL TORTOISE-SHELL-BUTTERFLY, which is very common, and breeds twice a Year: The first Brood is towards the End of June, the second about the End of August. The Caterpillar feeds on Nettles, is open and sociable, and may be taken full fed about the Middle of June, and the Middle of August, and is about fourteen Days in Chrysalis. This Butterfly out-lives the Winter.
See Lister on Goedart, Pag. 7. N. 5. Albin, Pl. 56. Fig. 4. Goed. Vol. 1. Pag. 90, Fig. opt, 21. List. Fig. 2. Graf. Vol. 1. P. 89. Mouff, 101. N. 11, figured against N. 12. Hoef. Tab. 2. Fig. opt. 16. Raii, Hist. Insect. Pag. 117. N. 1. Albin, Pl. 4. Rosel, Cl. 1. Tab. 4. Reaumur, Pl. 26. Pag. 446. Vol. 1.
The Great Stinging-Nettle.
Urtica major vulgaris. J. B.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
V.
Cl. 3. S. a. 5.
The GREAT TORTOISE-SHELL-BUTTERFLY. When the Caterpillars of this Fly are young, they feed together on the Leaves of the Elm-Tree, &c. About the Middle of June they are full fed, and usually tie themselves up by the Tail under the Copings of Walls, or some such Shelter; in the Beginning of July the Fly comes out, and delights to settle in dry Path-ways, as also on the Bodies of Trees, &c. is swift in its Flight, and requires Nimbleness to take it. The Chrysalis is very apt to produce Ichneumons instead of its own Butterfly, those Creatures having laid their Eggs therein. This Fly lives all Winter.
See Reaumur, Pl. 23. Pag. 382. Vol. 1. List. on Goedart, Pag. 3. N. 3, Merian, Vol. 2. Tab. 2. Albin, Pl. 55. Rosel, Cl. 1. Tab. 2.
The Common Elm-Tree.
Ulmus minor folio Angusto Scabro. Ger. Emac, 1480.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
VI.
Cl. 2. S. a. 6.
The COMMA-BUTTERFLY breeds twice a Year: The first Time towards the End of June, and the second about the Beginning of September. The Caterpillar feeds on Hop-Leaves, Nettles, &c. puts on the Chrysalis Form in June and August, and is about fourteen Days in that State, when the Fly appears, which may be taken in Gardens, on Blackberry Blossoms, by the Sides of Hedges, and in such like Places. The Colours of the first Brood of this Butterfly are considerably lighter than as here represented.
The Double Wild Poppy, with a fiery-coloured Flower edged with white.
Papaver, erraticum, flore pleno igneo marginibus candidis. H. L.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
VII.
Cl. 2. S. a. 7.
The GREAT FRITILLARY-BUTTERFLY. Mr. Rosel says, the Caterpillar feeds on Nettles, in the private Recesses of Woods, that it changes into the Chrysalis State at the End of May, and that the Fly is produced in June. This Butterfly is very swift in Flight, and is best taken in the Forenoon, when it will settle and feed on Blackberry Blossoms, Thistles, &c. They are most commonly found in Woods, and the Fields adjacent to Woods.
See Rosel, Cl. 1. Tab. 7.
The Bramble.
Rubus major, fructu nigro. J. B.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
VIII.
Cl. 2. S. a. 8.
The PLANTAIN FRITILLARY-BUTTERFLY. The Caterpillar hereof feeds on Plantain, Clover, and Grass, changes to a Chrysalis, within a Web of its own spinning, upon the Surface of the Ground, at the Beginning of May, and the Fly appears fourteen Days after. The Caterpillars are sociable, and feed together. They appear of a very timorous Nature, for if you move the Food on which they are, they immediately quit their Hold and fall to the Ground, and there remain in a curl’d up Form till such Time they think the Danger over. The Butterfly is swift in Flight, but may be taken if diligently attended to, in Fields of Hay-Grass, at the Time above-mentioned.
Figure 1. Rough Grass. 2. Plantain. 3. Clover.
1. Gramen asperum. J. B. 2. Plantago major vulg. C. B.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
IX.
Cl. 2. S. a. 9.
The HEATH FRITILLARY-BUTTERFLY. I found the Caterpillars of this Fly feeding on common Heath in Tottenham-Wood, about the Middle of May, 1745, and they are of the same fearful Nature as the last-mentioned. Six or seven of them were feeding near each other, I observed their Manner of eating, which was extremely quick, and when they moved it was at a great Rate. I fed them with common Heath for three or four Days; at the End of which some of them changed into Chrysalis, in which State they remained about fourteen Days, and then the Flies came forth. This Butterfly is very common in most Woods, but its Caterpillar is very rarely found.
Common Heath in Flower.
Erica Vulgaris. Park.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
X.
Cl. 2. S. a. 10.
The WILLOW-BUTTERFLY. About the Middle of August, 1748, two of this Species of Butterfly were taken near Camberwell, in Surry: But in all my Practice I have never seen any of them in the Fields; so that they were look’d upon as very great Rarities. They are very common in Germany, and Mr. Rosel tells us, the Caterpillar feeds on Willow, and may be found all the Summer. The Caterpillar and Chrysalis, in the Plate, are taken from a Draught by Mr. Rosel.
See Rosel, Cl. 1, Tab. 1.
The White Dog-Rose.
Rosa arvensis candida. C. B.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
XI.
Cl. 3. S. a. 11.
The SMALL FRITILLARY-BUTTERFLY. About the 10th of April, 1741, I took upon the Ground upwards of one Hundred of these Caterpillars, in Cain Wood. I gave them to eat a Variety of Growths (which I gathered on the Spot where I found the Caterpillars) but they were so restless and uneasy under Confinement, that they seemed in continual Motion, neither would they eat any of the Food I gave them. On the 18th of April ten of the Caterpillars fastened themselves up by the Tail, in order to their changing into the Chrysalis State, (the rest being dead or gone away) and on the 3d of May following the Flies were bred. This Butterfly is to be taken in Woods and Grass-Fields adjacent to Woods, in the Month of May.
The Variegated Ketmia.
Ketmia Syrorum Flore variegato. J. R. H.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
XII.
Cl. 2. S. a. 12.
The GREAT FRITILLARY-BUTTERFLY, with Silver Spots. I take this Fly to be of the Class under Consideration. On the 15th of July, 1748, I had three Eggs laid by such a Fly as is represented in the Plate at Fig. 1, and on the 5th of August the young Caterpillars came forth; which, being examined with a Microscope, appeared to be of the Size represented. They were of a Flesh Colour, with Rows of Black Spots on each Joint like the Caterpillars of the Emperor Moth, and out of each Spot grew Hairs of a sandy Colour. The Eggs were beautifully fluted down the Sides, were flat at the Bottom, and had a glutenous Moisture upon them, which occasioned their sticking fast wherever the Fly chose to leave them. The Caterpillars on this present 10th of February, 1748-9, seem to be alive, but are very small, and, I believe, have eat nothing all the Winter, though they have had Grass given them, which I take to be their proper Food. The Fly frequents Woods and Meads, and loves to settle on Blackberry Blossoms, Thistles, &c. At the Beginning of July they may be taken with your Net; but as no Butterfly is more swift in Flight, you must attend till they settle, then be nimble and you may catch them.
The Scorpion Sena.
Emerus Cæsalpin.