INSECTS WHICH PREY UPON AGRICULTURAL PLANTS. 99 



have an expanse of one inch ; the under wings are of an orange 

 colour, with the base and fringe black. These moths liy about 

 in the sunshine like the smaller butterflies or " skippers," and 

 are most prevalent in chalk districts. 



Eiididia mi (the Shipton Moth). — This insect is allied to, and 

 very much resembles the last, and it also flies in the day time. 

 The caterpillars, which are of a whitish lilac colour inclining to 

 ochre, infest clover, lucerne, yellow medick and grass crops, and 

 arrive at maturity in the end of August. The moths are 

 found in June. The upper wings have a broad blackish band 

 margined with ochre across them, and expand rather more than 

 one inch : the under wings are black, with a large bright 

 ochreous spot near the base. 



Endopisa jnscnia (the Pea Moth). — Tlais moth is the cause of 

 " maggoty " pease, as the " larvae " devour the young seeds in 

 the pod or after they are stored. They are about three-eighths of 

 an inch in length, of a yellow colour, covered with bristles and 

 spotted black. They bury themselves in July and August, and 

 change to pupae in fine webs. The moth itself is about the 

 same size and has the same appearance as the common house 

 moth. 



Orgyia padibumla (the Pale Tussac-Moth). — This insect 

 infests the hop-bines in the south, its caterpillars being known as 

 " hop-dogs." These have the appearance as if a fungoid growth 

 were proceeding from each of the segments of the body, and 

 they are provided with a long hairy rose-coloured tail. The 

 trunk is of a greenish colour with black stripes dividing its 

 segments. They spin a whitish yellow web in which to become 

 a pupa, and the moth which emerges is of large size, greenish- 

 white colour (the upper wings freckled and having four irregular 

 transverse darker linens) and it is provided with hairy antennae 

 and leas. 



H Y M E N P r ERA. 



The " four-winged flies." — The mouth is provided with biting 

 jaws or mantlibles. The female has the extremity of th-e 

 abdomen provided with a sting or ovipositor as in bees. 



Atkaiia spuiarum (the Turnip Saw-Fly). — The larvae of this 

 insect are the black caterj)illars or "negroes" which feed on 

 turnip leaves, often swecjping away an entire crop in the south, 

 leavincr nothiuLT but the bare stalks. The flies make their 

 appearaufc in July, August, and September. After ini})rogna- 

 tion the female fixes herself on the e'lgo of a leaf, and using the 

 saw-like processes at the extremity of the abdomen proceeds to 

 make a slit in which she depositxS one egt; — proco<Hling thus till 

 all are laid. The caterpillars are nearly all black, but change to 



