258 



ON THE BAG-SHELTERS OF LEPIDOPTEROUS 

 LARV^ OF THE GENUS TEAuA. 



By Walter W. Froggatt. 



(Plate XIV.) 



In many parts of the Australian bush one frequently comes 

 across brown liver-coloured silken bags of an irregular funnel- 

 shape, spun round a stout twig enclosing several others, and 

 frequently a few leaves, all matted together and rough on the 

 inner surface, but smooth and regular on the outside. They vary 

 in size from 3-8 inches in diameter at the broad end, which 

 may be quite open or loosely covered with a few silken strands ; 

 upon examination, if fi-eshly constructed, they will be found full 

 of very hairy caterpillars mixed up with their castings and 

 moulted skins. 



When they have served their purpose, and are abandoned by 

 the full grown caterpillars, they will remain for a considerable 

 time, a solid mass of skins and castings, compact and firm, pro- 

 tected by the strong silken coverings. These curious structures 

 are woven round the twigs by the gregarious larvaj of several 

 different species of moths belonging to the genus Teara (Family 

 Liparidm). They arc constructed for shelter during the day, and 

 ai'e not used for pupating purposes. Hiding therein during the 

 day, the caterpillars issue forth at dusk, feeding all night over 

 the tree and x'eturning to cover at daybreak. When moving 

 about they travel in procession. "The first large nest I came 

 across I carried home, and was very much surprised next morning 

 to see a string of large hairj^ caterpillars stretching right across 

 the roof of the tent; they had emerged from the nest in the 

 night, but were unable to find their way back. 



Some twenty species of the genus, which is peculiar to Australia, 

 have been described; most of them are short thickset moths with 

 feathery antennae, and the tip of the abdomen bearing a tuft of 

 fine hairs. Our commonest species, Teara tristis, is generally very 



