122 



neath the flower and continues to feed in the torus (Ilower- 

 bearing head). By the time it is full grown many of the 

 flowers are destroyed and the torus is an empty shell. Prepara- 

 tory to pupation it weaves together by means of silken threads 

 the remnants of the dead flowers and closes the entrance with 

 the bundle thus made. It then pupates in which state it re- 

 mains about two weeks, after which it emerges as a perfect 

 moth. 



The larva (Fig. 4, a) is opaque, greyish white, with the 

 exception of the head, thoracic shield and true legs which are 

 shiny brownish black. In life the head is retractile into 

 thoracic shield ; pro-legs on abdominal segments 3-6 and 9. 



-"1 



^. • / 



^^^ ^ "''^0 





^'^- 





'-^U^' 



Fig. 5. — Lantana Butterflies: a, egg; b, larva; c, pupa; d, adult (bred from «. i^, r) ; <• 

 another butterfly. Adults show marking of upper and under sides of wings. Hair lines 

 show natural size of all. but egg which is x30. (Author's illustration.) 



Lantana Butterflies (Li/caenidae) . 



One of these is a pretty, small butterfly, with upper side of 

 hind wings metallic blue, the rest of the insect being mottled 

 brownish gray (Fig. 5, c). It lays its egg (Fig. 5, a) upon the 

 young lantana flower and the subsequent caterpillar feeds upon 



