In full purple highflyer. The purple emperor butterfly, Apatura iris, which typically flies high in the tree canopy. Obsolete.

Formerly: †any of several attractively patterned moths (obsolete). Now only: the Clifden nonpareil, Catocala fraxini.

Any of various European moths having wings with colours or markings likened to porphyry, as the noctuid Lycophotia porphyrea (true-lover's knot). Obs…

†(a) either of two moths of the family Drepanidae with lustrous mottled wings, Tetheella fluctuosa and Ochropacha duplaris (now usually called lutest…

a small golden-brown European moth, Heliozela sericiella (family Heliozelidae), whose larvae bore into the leaf-stalks of oaks.

A collector's name for a small brownish-red moth, Semasia scopoliana.

In the names of butterflies and moths, as chalk carpet, chalk hill blue, chalk pit (see quots.).

a species of moth.

One who or that which sprawls. Also spec. as a moth-name.

Collector's name for two species of moth, Scotosia (Triphosa) dubitata and cervinata.

collectors' names for various moths: see quots.

see treble bar n.

a moth of the genus Lozotænia.

A small moth which has a head covered in yellow-orange hairs, Tubuliferola flavifrontella (family Oecophoridae). Obsolete. rare.

the moth Coremia propugnaria.

the Australian moth, Doratifera vulnerans, the larva of which is able to sting.

(see quot.).

More fully luna-moth: A large moth of North America, Actias luna, having crescent-shaped spots on the wings.

= melonworm n.

Collector's name for moths of the genus Eudryas.

the North American moth, Cœlodasys unicornis.

The caterpillar of a geometrid moth, which typically travels by clasping with the front legs, drawing the hind end forward so that the back loops in…

the suspected: a moth, Parastichtis suspecta, which has reddish-brown fore-wings and is found in Europe and northern Asia.

More fully porina moth: any of several large moths of the genus Wiseana (formerly Porina) (family Hepialidae); esp. W. cervinata, the larvae of…

the larva of a small moth, Keiferia lycopersicella (family Gelechiidae), which bores holes in the buds or fruit of the tomato plant.

the large caterpillar of an emperor moth, Gonimbrasia belina (family Saturniidae), which feeds on the leaves of the mopane tree and is sometimes…