76 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



haystacks, and in many other places. When disturbed 

 they do not fly far, but seem anxious to hide themselves 

 from any strong sunlight. In speaking of some of the 

 noctuid moths, Mr. Tryon says — " That in Queensland 

 they usually select spots where the herbage is rank in 

 which to deposit their eggs. We have found these on" 

 the introduced grass, Bromus unioloides. The eggs are 

 placed between the two sides of the upper leaves of the 

 plant before these are opened out, and are covered by, 

 what is when fresh, a sticky substance secreted hy the 

 female insect. They are also laid in other situations both 

 in concealment on the grass and about rubbish. In about 

 a fortnight, probably less, when the weather is warm, 

 the young caterpillars hatch out, and commence feeding 

 immediately on the spot where they were born. They 

 feed nearly always at night except when th(^ w^eather is 

 overcast or when they occur in swarms. When disturbed 

 they immediately drop from where they were previously 

 feeding, the young by a thread, the older ones without 

 any. Having fallen, they quickly roll themselves up 

 with the head inwards and remain motionless. After a 

 minute or two they bestir themselves and soon crawl 

 away. Should the plants on which they feed be isolated 

 or offer little concealment they spend the day concealed 

 in the nearest hiding place they can find, as under a 

 stone or piece of wood. The caterpillar lives from two 

 to three weeks, the duration of the moth in this stage 

 being dependent upon the condition of the weather and 

 the supply of food. This is the extent of its life during 

 the summer months, but in the latitude of Brisbane many 

 pass the winter without changing, hybernating under 

 stones, &c. When about to transform into the chrysalis 

 state the caterpillar burrows an inch or two into the 

 ground, or crawls beneath a log or stone where it barely 

 covers itself with earth, and in such a situation under- 

 goes its metamorphosis. In three or four weeks after 

 this, the moth emerges from the chrysalis. The number 

 of generations during the summer months has not been 



