THE LEPIDOPTERA OF ESSEX.
79
Larva—Greyish-green with yellow stripes on back and sides. Food—Various
cruciferae and resedaceae, especially wild mignonette. Imago—May and August,
but the May brood almost, if not entirely, absent in England ; hibernates as pupa.
Very rare, always occurring singly; partial to lucerne fields.
Probably an immigrant from the Continent.
One by Mr. Norman Halls, near Dilbridge Hall, Colchester,
on Aug. 12th, 1857 (W. H. Harwood ; E.W.I. ii. 182, B.B. 159).
One by Dr. Maclean, near Berechurch, many years ago (Harwood).
One male, Epping Forest, by Mr. Walter Nash, 1866 (A. Cottam ;
E.M.M. vii. 109). One female, near Southend, Aug., 1870 (D. T.
Button; Ent. v. 221). One female, Southend, Aug. 11th, 1876
(V. E. L. Young ; E.M.M. xiii. 108).
Colias edusa, F. Clouded Yellow.
Geographical Distribution—Throughout palaearctic region, except extreme north
reaching Azores and Syria. Uncertain in its appearance in Britain. North
American species scarcely distinguishable.
Larva—Deep green, narrow white stripe on sides with pink spots. Food—Various
species of Trifolium, Medicago, and Lotus, especially white clover and lucerne.
Imago—June to October ; hibernates as imago or larva (see Entom. xi. 60, 139).
Notwithstanding some uncertainty I believe that this errant species hibernates
as a larva. Although Mr. Buckler knew that its congener C. hyale hibernated as a
larva, he wrote in 1877, "I strongly incline to the belief that by far the greater
number of those I saw on the wing at this time (June 13th) must have passed the
exceptionally mild winter in the pupa state" (Larvae, p. 12). In the latter half of
October of that—the Edusa—year, Mr. Buckler had eggs, larvae just hatched,
full-fed larvae, pupae and imagos.
Common in some seasons, in others not seen ; generally dis-
tributed. Abundant in 1877 (see Ent. xi. 49-61), rare since.
" In a field sown with flax not far from the town of Bocking, in
Essex" (Ray ; H.I. 113). Epping (S.M. i. 17). A few specimens,
Sept:, 1839, Epping (H. Doubleday ; in litt). One, Epping, 1885
(G. V. Elstowe ; Ent. xviii. 204). Common, Walthamstow, 1877,
last noticed Oct. 5th (B. Cooper ; Ent. xi. 55). Common in Maldon
district, 1875 (Fitch ; Ent. viii. 221). Not common, Hazeleigh,
1875 (G. H. Raynor ; Ent. viii. 300). Abundant and bred at
Maldon, June 6th to Dec. 12th, 1877 (Fitch ; Ent. x. 189, 210;
xi. 58). One, Maldon, Sept. 26th, 1879 (Fitch ; Ent. xii. 283).
One, Maldon, Sept. 26th, 1881 (Fitch ; Ent. xiv. 296). One,
Maldon, Sept., 1883 (Fitch ; Ent. xvi. 259). Hazeleigh, Maldon,
Sept., 1884 (Raynor ; Ent. xvii. 251). Hazeleigh, Warley, Sept.,
1885 (Raynor ; Ent. xviii. 315). One, Maldon, Oct. 4th, 1886