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creatures are strangely symbolical of our own : first 

 the germ or egg, from which springs an active 

 creature, a voracious, greedy, earthly thing, which, 

 after living a changeful life sinks into sleep, as it 

 were into the tomb ; here it lies a curious thing, 

 inert, utterly helpless, yet not entirely at the mercy 

 of the outer world, for during its former life it was 

 taught and given opportunity to prepare for itself 

 suitable protection, so that there shall be no spot or 

 blemish to mar its future beauty when as an ethereal 

 being it wings through the upper air, all beauty, 

 purity, and grace. Indeed the lepidopterist may 

 always find much in his favourite insects for admira- 

 tion, wonderment, and serious contemplation. 



A look-out must still be kept for ova ; many eggs 

 now taken will soon hatch. When a butterfly is seen 

 flitting along in a pensive sort of way over the 

 herbage, and now and then settling thereon, it will 

 often be found that it is a female, and is in the act of 

 depositing its ova. Female moths taken on the wing 

 will as a rule be impregnated, and if it is wished to 

 rear the species thus taken, the moth should be kept 

 alive until she has deposited her ova. A spray of the 

 larval food-plant will be a great inducement to this 

 end. Those of my readers who are microscopists 

 will find in these insect ova some very beautiful 

 objects for their study. 



Larvae reared from the egg should in the earlier 

 stages be confined in fine muslin bags and fed therein. 

 Many young larvae have a propensity to wander, and 

 in a breeding cage are thus lost ; whilst when kept in 

 bags all their attention is concentrated on the food, 

 and they cannot wander. 



Many larvae are to be found this month. Strange 

 and weird are some of them in appearance, some 

 even appalling ; others are resplendent in vivid 

 colouring and velvety coats. Now is the time for 

 larva; preserving. The lepidopterist should work 

 hard at this particular branch of his study, for the 

 tempting time will soon be over. The beautiful 

 larva of P. machacm is now to be found in the fen 

 districts on Pcuceda?ium palustre. This larva cannot, 

 unfortunately, be reared away from its marshy home. 

 T. betuhe is to be found too on sloe-bushes near 

 woods ; also G. rliamni, on the buckthorn. Nettles 

 will produce the larvae of the Vanessidaa this month. 

 Those curious fellows, N. ziczac, may also be found 

 in their various hues, feeding on a variety of trees. 

 Old junipers in shrubberies should be searched for 

 E. sobrinata ; C. ligniperda may be taken at night 

 with the aid of the lantern — and the nose— on 

 willows. 



With regard to pupae ; we shall row be able to 

 look for the pretty angular chrysalids of the butter- 

 flies ; the pupa; of moths enclosed in their variously 

 constructed cocoons, attached to the stems of grass 

 and low herbage, to the twigs and branches of trees ; 

 and in some instances we must look for cocoons 

 under the ground. 



The number of imagos to be taken this month is 

 often bewildering to the tyro. It would be useless to 

 enumerate any species here, as there are so many 

 " good things" to be taken now, and our space is 

 limited. We will content ourselves with just men- 

 tioning the best methods and places for securing 

 specimens. The long and brilliant days of June 

 promise excellent sport to the energetic worker. It 

 is hot work wielding the net this month, and those 

 wretched pests, the flies, are so aggravating ; if how- 

 ever, the face be anointed with a solution of camphor 

 or borax these little nuisances will be kept somewhat 

 in check ; a smoker need not fear them. 



In day searching, the beating-stick must be ever at 

 hand ; always beat shrubs and bushes from below, 

 beating from above has the effect of driving the moths 

 further down into the bush. Have an eye to sweet- 

 scented flowers, also thistles, ragwort, and blackberry 

 blossoms ; but beware of the thorns. The exudations 

 from cossus-infected trees, and also the gummy matter 

 from fruit-trees are an attraction for butterflies and 

 moths alike. Lime and other trees which bloom this 

 month should receive every attention. 



Some collectors sugar flowers by day for both 

 butterflies and moths ; I cannot recommend it, how- 

 ever, never having tried it myself. Treacling by 

 night may again be resorted to, and is a profitable 

 mode of capture. Do not sugar too many trees, or 

 too close together. Do not give the moths time to 

 fill themselves with the sweets, for such will invariably 

 cause discoloration and grease in the specimens at 

 some time or other. Some will tell you that it is of 

 no use to treacle on a moonlight night ; I have found 

 such nights often more productive than others. If 

 there be slight rain and threatening of thunder, so 

 much the better for treacling. Beware of the bats, 

 for they will pick off the moths from your treacles if 

 you do not watch ; look out for toads too at the foot 

 of the tree ; these knowing rascals seem to understand 

 the treacling business quite well, and it is " all up " 

 with any moth that chances to fall to the ground. 

 "Light" will be useful for capturing; many good 

 insects are thus taken. Fences and tree-trunks as 

 before — " only more so " : many moths have a habit 

 of sinking their bodies into crevices of the bark, and 

 extending the wings pressing them quite flat. These 

 are rather difficult to find, but once get used to it and 

 you will be able to pick them out on a tree a great 

 distance off. It is always as well after examining a 

 tree to give it a sharp blow before leaving, it will 

 often bring forth something we little expected. There 

 is a sort of honey-dew on many low-growing plants 

 (nettles, etc.), this is often an attraction to moths ; 

 plants so affected are often seen covered with ants ; 

 these little creatures seem exceedingly fond of this 

 sticky exudation. 



If a male insect be seen when flying to dart sud- 

 denly and quickly into a bush, it should if possible be 

 traced, and will often be found paying attentions to 



