Generally distributed throughout England and Wales, its range extending into Scotland as far north as Morayshire; also in Ireland. The var. _salicis_ occurs northwards from Shropshire through northern England into Scotland, but is perhaps most common in Ireland.
This is also the Crown Moth of Moses Harris, both English names referring to a fancied resemblance of the whitish or pale greyish mark, just beyond the reniform stigma, to a crown or coronet (Plate 103, Fig. 5). The greenish or brownish-olive fore wings are subject to modification in the depth of tint; sometimes they are blackish in tone--var. _nigra_, Tutt, or dark olive-green--var. _olivacea_, Tutt. In both of these named forms the whitish markings are obscured, and in this respect they seem to be about identical with var. _sundevalli_, Lampa.
Pl. 104. 1, 3. ARCHER'S DART. 4, 6. TURNIP MOTH. 2, 5. SHUTTLE-SHAPED DART. 7, 8. DARK SWORD GRASS. 9, 10. PEARLY UNDERWING.
Pl. 105. 1, 2. CRESCENT DART. 3, 4. HEART AND DART, _males_. 5, 6. HEART AND DART, _females_. 7, 8. HEART AND CLUB. 9, 10. LIGHT FEATHERED RUSTIC.
{ 199} The caterpillar is bluish green above, and yellowish green below; a slender whitish line along the middle of the back, and a yellowish line on each side; the spiracles are reddish, and the raised spots, from each of which a single black hair arises, are black. It feeds in August and September on ash, and less frequently, perhaps, on privet. It is stated to eat hazel and alder, also.
The moth flies in June and July, and its occurrence in any locality depends largely upon the presence of ash. Widely distributed throughout England, Wales, and Scotland to Ross-shire. In Ireland it has only been noted from a few localities in Co. Galway.
POWDERED WAINSCOT (_Simyra_ (_Arsilonche_) _albovenosa_).
In its typical form (Plate 103, Fig. 10), the fore wings are whitish ochreous with the veins showing up white more or less clearly. A form with reddish ochreous fore wings has been named var. _ochracea_, Tutt; and another with silvery-white wings var. _argentea_ by the same author. These seem to be identical with forms of this species named _flavida_ and _albida_ by Aurivillius some eight years earlier.
The hairy caterpillar is blackish or dark grey brown freckled with black; two stripes along the back and one on each side are yellow, sometimes marked with orange; the warts are orange with pale, and a few black, hairs; head black, marked with yellowish. { 200}