Nyctemera adversata (Schaller, 1788)

Hampson, G. F. (1894). The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma.
Moths, vol. 2: pp. 47-48, text-fig. 22, as Nyctemera plagifera.

1266. Nyctemera plagifera, Wlk. Cat. ii, p. 400; Butl. Ill. Het. v, pl. 88, fig.
3; C. & S. no. 471.

Head, thorax, and abdomen marked as in tripunctaria, except that the tegulae
have three black spots instead of a spot and streak. Fore wing with the costa
dark at base; the subcostal, median, and submedian nervures outlined in black as
far as the very irregular medial band; an irregular band on discocellulars
sending streaks along the veins to the marginal band, which extends from the
costa to vein 3, and has a dentate inner edge and three or four white marginal
spots; a black spot near outer angle. Hind wing white, with an irregular black
blotch at lower angle of cell and five black submarginal spots.

Hab. China and throughout India. Exp. 58 millim.

The entries referred to (tripunctaria, which in turn refers to latistriga and
lacticinia) are the preceding ones in the same work (pp. 47-48) and read as
follows.

1265. Nyctemera tripunctaria, Linn. Mus. Lud. Ulr. p. 392; C. & S. no. 466.

Nyctemera atralba, Hubn. Verz. p. 178.

Differs from latistriga in the abdomen having black spots on the vertex instead
of bands; fore wing with the streaks below the median nervure, on vein 1, and on
inner margin being much longer; the postmedial spots conjoined into a regular
band; hind wing with the inner edge of the marginal band evenly curved and
waved.

Hab. Assam; Malacca; Singapore. Exp. 50-54 millim.

1264. Nyctemera latistriga, Wlk. Cat. ii, p. 397; Moore, Lep. Ceyl. ii, pl. 99,
fig. 2; C. & S. no. 472.

Nyctemera inconstans, Voll. Tijds. Dierk. i, p. 47 (1863).

Nyctemera arcuatum, Voll. Tijds. Dierk. i, p. 45.

Nyctemera regularis, Snellen, Mid.-Sum., Lep. p. 34 (1880).

Differs from lacticinia in having the broad white streak on base of inner margin
of fore wing replaced by narrow streaks on costa, vein 1, and inner margin, and
by a very broad streak below the median nervure; the postmedial band of spots
with the upper two conjoined, the fourth very large, and fifth absent.

Hab. Throughout India, Ceylon, and Burma; Andamans; Sumatra; Borneo; Java. Exp.,
male 44, female 46 millim.

1263. Nyctemera lacticinia, Cram. Pap. Exot. ii, pl. 128, fig. E; Moore, Lep.
Ceyl. ii, p. 99, figs. 1, 1a (larva); C. & S. no. 463.

Head, collar, and thorax yellowish white, spotted with black; abdomen white, the
extremity yellow; three black spots on the first segment and slight black bands
on the next six above; two paired series of lateral black spots. Fore wing hair-
brown; a broad white streak on base of inner margin; an oblique postmedial band
of five white spots. Hind wing white; a broad marginal brown band with
irregularly curved inner edge.

Larva dull red; a dorsal and two lateral series of radiating tufts of fine black
hairs arising from black tubercles; two long forwardly projecting tufts on 1st
somite.

Pupa red-brown, in a rolled-up leaf.

Hab. China; throughout India, Ceylon, and Burma; Java; Ceram. Exp., male 42,
female 46-48 millim.

Seitz, A. (1910). Nyctemera. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the
World, vol. 2, The Palaearctic Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 103, pl. 18 h (German
edition: Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 2: 103). As Nyctemera plagifera.

N. plagifera Walk. (18 h). White with blackish brown discal and marginal
markings. Thorax and abdomen spotted with black, tip of the latter and the head
yellow. Common throughout India, northwards to Tibet, China and Formosa. In warm
districts during the whole year, in the Palearctic Region more in the autumn,
flying together with Pieris canidia, from which it can scarcely be distinguished
when on the wing.

Seitz, A. (1915). Nyctemera. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the
World, vol. 10, The Indo-Australian Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 273 (German
edition: Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 10: 273). As Nyctemera plagifera.

N. plagifera Wkr. (= adversata Shall.) (Vol. II, t. 18 h). This species has been
dealt with in Vol. II, p. 103. From inconstans it differs beside by the more
scantily dark-spotted forewing by the large, often square spot of the hindwing.
As I have stated in Vol. II, I found the insect flying together with Pieris
canidia and by its flight strikingly similar to this species somewhat similar
only in the colouring.