Grammia arge (Drury, 1773)

Drury, D. (1770). Illustrations of Natural History, vol. 1: p. 35, pl. 18, fig.
3. The description (unnamed) was published in 1770; the name Phalaena arge was
given in the index to vol. 1 that appeared in vol. 2 (1773). Described in the
genus Phalaena.

Fig. III. Expands near an inch and three quarters.

Upper-side.--The Antennae, are black, and pectinated, or combed.--The Head and
Body, are of a light yellowish brown.--On the Thorax, are three black marks,
running parallel with it; one on the middle, and one on each shoulder ligature,
with several black spots on the abdomen.--The Superior Wings, are black.--The
Fringe, of a light yellowish brown; which colour is continued along the
posterior edges, up to the body; some broad lines of the same colour, occupy
about two thirds of the wing, running parallel with the anterior and posterior
edges.--The Inferior Wings, are of the same light yellowish brown, with a faint
black spot on each, having a broad irregular border, of a faint black, running
along the external edges, being very narrow in the middle.--The Fringe, is of a
light yellow brown. All the wings are plain and even.

Under-side.--Is exactly like the upper; but the colours are less brilliant.

I received it from New York, where it was taken on the 24th of June.

I cannot find it any where described.

Hampson, G. F. (1901). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British
Museum, vol. 3: pp. 399-400. As Apantesis arge.

1952. Apantesis arge.
Noctua arge, Drury, Ill. Ex. Ent. i. pl. 18. f. 3 (1773); Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb.
N. Am. p. 225, pl. 9. ff. 10, 11; Kirby, Cat. Het. p. 266.
Bombyx dione, Fabr. Syst. Ent. p. 572 (1775).
Noctua incarnatorubra, Goeze, Ent. Beytr. iv. (3) p. 241 (1781).
Chelonia nerea, Boisd. Ann. Soc. Ent. Belge, xii. p. 77 (1869); Kirby, Cat. Het.
p. 266.
Chelonia doris, Boisd. Ann. Soc. Ent. Belge, xii. p. 77 (1869); Kirby, Cat. Het.
p. 266.
Euprepia arge, var. nervosa, Neum. & Dyar, Ent. News, iv. p. 142 (1893).
Bombyx caelebs, Martyn, Psyche, pl. 11. f. 25 ined.

♂. Head, thorax, and abdomen pale pinkish; palpi, sides of frons, antennae, and
stripes on tegulae, patagia, thorax, and shoulders black; pectus with black
patches; legs black, the fore coxae and femora above crimson; abdomen with
dorsal and lateral series of black spots and ventral bands. Fore wing black,
with the pale pinkish stripes on costa, veins, above submedian fold, and inner
margin occupying the greater part of wing; antemedial and medial triangular
bands across the cell, often incomplete; the postmedial band oblique from costa
to vein 4, where it is strongly angled, usually reaching submedian fascia; the
subterminal band oblique from costa to termen above vein 5, bent inwards to
postmedial band at vein 4, then to termen at vein 2, and inwards to submedian
fascia; cilia pinkish. Hind wing whitish tinged with pink, especially on inner
area; some diffused black on costal area; a discoidal lunule; subterminal spots
above vein 5, above and below vein 2 and usually vein 1; some spots on termen
below apex and near veins 4 and 2; a pink terminal line.

Ab. 1. nervosa. The black areas more extensive; fore wing with the transverse
band obsolete or with portions of the postmedial and subterminal present; hind
wing blackish, with the veins, cilia, and inner margin pink.

♀. Less tinged with pink, the black markings somewhat reduced.

Hab. U.S.A., Atlantic States, New York, Grote and Zeller Colls., 12 ♂, 3 ♀,
California. Exp., ♂ 48, ♀ 56 millim.

Seitz, A. (1919). Apantesis. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the
World, vol. 6, The American Bombyces and Sphinges: pp. 305-306, pl. 38 l (German
edition: Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 6: 305-306). As Apantesis arge.

A. arge Drury (= dione F., incarnatorubra Gz., nerea Bsd., caelebs Mart.) (38
l). On the forewings the light bands are so much increased and widened that all
are confluent, the black ground-colour appearing only yet in a number of
dispersed, small cuneiform spots. Hindwings in the ♂ more thinly, in the ♀ more
densely spotted black. -- In the form nervosa Neum. & Dyar the black spots of
the forewings are still better preserved and represent chains of triangles and
quadrangles; the light transverse bands of the forewing are mostly absent. --
The larva is dark brown with a very broad yellow dorsal stripe, spotted reddish,
and a light yellow postdorsal and lateral stripe. On Plantago and other low
plants, easily bred with dandelion and lettuce. From the eggs of one and the
same ♀ I obtained quite pale and very beautifully flesh-coloured imagines. Most
anywhere in the United States from New York to California, beside nais and virgo
the most common species of the genus; in July.