226 



COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



the antennto of the male are doubly fringed for about half their 

 length from the base. 



Fifi. 120.— The Leopard Moth. 



Fig. 121. — The Laeva of Pykina 

 (only partly grown). 



The caterpillar feeds on the wood of various trees— elm, apple, 

 pear, ash, alder, poplar, horse chestmit, birch, lilac, and several 



others. It is yellowish, with 

 black shiny spots, and a black 

 plate on the second segment. 



The moth appears in Jiilj', 



and is widely distributed. It 



is attracted by bright lights, 



but the best way to obtain it is 



to search the trunks and branches of trees that are known to 



harbour the larvie early in the morning, and so obtain newly 



emerged specimens. 



FamUy — Liparid.e 



Passing over the two small species which are the only British 

 representatives of the family CocJiliopodidce, we come to the 

 interesting Lijmridce, the remarkable feature of which is that most 

 of the caterpillars are adorned with brush-like tufts of hair, and 

 even the chrysalides are hairy. 



The perfect insects are not brilliantly coloured, but generally 

 display very pale tints ; and the antenme of the males are 

 pectinated or feathered. 



The Brown Tail {PorfJicsla clD-ysoyrJioca) 



The family contains two motlis— the Brown Tail and the Yellow 

 Tail — that are very similar in appeai-ance and habits. Both have 



