Details
MARIAN ELLIS ROWAN (1848-1922)
Twenty-four moths, in three columns, mostly belonging to the family NOCTUIDAE, but including four spectacular URANIIDAE (Lyssa 11,12, and Alcides 17,18)
signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on grey paper
22 x 15in. (55.9 x 38.1cm.)
The caterpillars of both uraniids feed on spurges (Euphorbiaceae), and the adults are probably chemically repellent. The brilliantly iridescent Alcides are day-flying and behave rather like hyperactive butterflies, keeping territories in forest clearings or beside watercourses, to dash out in pursuit of any large insect remotely like themselves. The noctuids include Erebus (15,16) and Phyllodes (13,14)
Thirty moths, in three columns, all members of the huge family NOCTUIDAE
signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on grey paper
22.1/8 x 15in. (56.2 x 38.1cm.)
The large, reddish-pink marked moths in the central column are Phyllodes imperialis, a rainforest species that also occurs in Australia. The "yellow underwing" moths include members of the fruit-piercing genus Othreis, often pests in Citrus groves, where their proboscides are strong enough to penetrate even the rind of an orange. Species of the genus Achaea have three bluish-white spots ranged around the margin of the hindwing (e.g. 5,6,19-22).
Sixty-seven moths, arranged in five columns, a few belonging to families such as the GEOMETRIDAE (e.g. 3,4, 18,19) and ARCTIIDAE (e.g. 32,33,55), but with most representing a variety of the medium-sized or smaller NOCTUIDAE (which includes the unusual Pterocyclophora, 5)
signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on grey-green paper
22 x 15in. (55.8 x 38.1cm.) and smaller three
one illstrated (the first sheet) (3)
Twenty-four moths, in three columns, mostly belonging to the family NOCTUIDAE, but including four spectacular URANIIDAE (Lyssa 11,12, and Alcides 17,18)
signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on grey paper
22 x 15in. (55.9 x 38.1cm.)
The caterpillars of both uraniids feed on spurges (Euphorbiaceae), and the adults are probably chemically repellent. The brilliantly iridescent Alcides are day-flying and behave rather like hyperactive butterflies, keeping territories in forest clearings or beside watercourses, to dash out in pursuit of any large insect remotely like themselves. The noctuids include Erebus (15,16) and Phyllodes (13,14)
Thirty moths, in three columns, all members of the huge family NOCTUIDAE
signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on grey paper
22.1/8 x 15in. (56.2 x 38.1cm.)
The large, reddish-pink marked moths in the central column are Phyllodes imperialis, a rainforest species that also occurs in Australia. The "yellow underwing" moths include members of the fruit-piercing genus Othreis, often pests in Citrus groves, where their proboscides are strong enough to penetrate even the rind of an orange. Species of the genus Achaea have three bluish-white spots ranged around the margin of the hindwing (e.g. 5,6,19-22).
Sixty-seven moths, arranged in five columns, a few belonging to families such as the GEOMETRIDAE (e.g. 3,4, 18,19) and ARCTIIDAE (e.g. 32,33,55), but with most representing a variety of the medium-sized or smaller NOCTUIDAE (which includes the unusual Pterocyclophora, 5)
signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on grey-green paper
22 x 15in. (55.8 x 38.1cm.) and smaller three
one illstrated (the first sheet) (3)