84 LEPIDOPTERA OBSERVED IN 1893. 



Xanthia circellaris, Calymnia trapezina, Hadena protea, and Miana 

 striqilis. 



Miss Selby, of Battler's Green, Aldenham, tells me that her bee- 

 hives are a great deal infested by the wax-moths. In December 

 she sent me a number of specimens of Galleria mellonella, which 

 were flying about the kitchen. Some old wax fi'om the hi\'es had 

 been brought into the house, and the warmth caused the moths to 

 emerge from their chiysalises at this unusual date. I have some- 

 times found the smaller wax-moth {Achra-a grisella) very trouble- 

 some in my hives. These insects are wax-feeders, the larvae 

 eating their way through the honey- comb, and sometimes causing a 

 great deal of damage. Mr. T. B. Blow, of Welwyn, thinks that if 

 the bees are kept strong they will turn the grubs of the wax-moth 

 out of the hives. He says that he rarely hears of a case of really 

 serious injury caused by them. 



In conclusion, I must thank my correspondents who have 

 rendered such valuable help. I would like to again emphasize 

 the necessity of our county entomologists keeping a record of the 

 appearances of rare insects, and informing me of the same. During 

 the year several friends have sent me moths which they have 

 found, and although in some cases they were only very common 

 insects, occasionally a rare one came to hand, and I welcome all 

 help of this kind. As a rule a moth will travel safely if sent 

 alive in a pill-box, packed inside a tin to keep it from being 

 smashed in the post. Moths sent in this way often deposit eggs 

 and enable one to study the insect from the ova to the imago. 



