250 COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



The pupa3 are brown, smooth, and shining, and are usually 

 inclosed in earthen cocoons. 



We shall briefly notice a few members of each of the three 

 genera. 



The Tumi]) Moth {Agrotis Scgcfnm) 



This is another of those destructive insects that attack vegetable 

 and flower gardens, often doing so nuxcli damage to our crops as to 

 become quite a nuisance to cultivators. 



The moth is decidedly dingy. Its fore wings are brown, clouded 

 with a darker tint. The hind wings are almost white, sometimes 

 with a brown hind margin. 



In June it lays its eggs on the stems of young plants, generally 

 very close to the ground. As soon as the young caterpillars emerge 



they commence feeding on the 

 lower parts of the stems, or burrow- 

 ing deeply into the larger succulent 

 roots. When the larvie have com- 

 ': ■' pleted their work of destruction in 



*'=«»»«.. s,:- v,:,>^s^ this way, they change to brown 



chrysalides in the ground. Some 

 Fig. 155.— The Tuenip Moth, undergo this change in October, and 



shortly after give rise to a second 

 brood of moths ; but most of them remain in the caterpillar state 

 throughout the winter, and, contrary to the general rule with 

 hybernating larvte, continue to feed almost tliroughout the winter 

 months, and change to the chrysalis in the following May. 



The caterpillar grows to a large size. It is of a greyish or 

 greenish colour, with a paler line on the back, a light brown line 

 on each side of this, black spots between these lines, and black 

 spiracles. 



TItc Heart and Dart {Agrotis Exclamation is) 



The destructive work of Scgetum is assisted by similar opera- 

 tions of the Heart and Dart, the larva of which feeds voraciously 

 on the roots of several of our cultivated vegetables, though 

 the present species does not entirely confine its ravages to the 

 farmer's crops, but attacks the roots of many low-growing herbs. 



The fore wings of the moth are light brown, generally with 

 a reddish tinge. The darker markings include a large and very 



