Ksy-2.J 



257 



NOTES ON THE LARYiE OF STFA3IMEEDAMIA APICELLA 

 {COMPTELLA). 



BT GEORGE ELISHA, F.E.S. 



The eggs I have not yet been able to discover, but larvae just 

 hatched I have frequently found, and from the position of these small 

 larvse I conclude they are laid on the under-side of the leaves of sloe 

 bushes growing in hedges ; these small larvae are generally solitary, 

 but sometimes two are to be seen feeding between the same leaves, 

 which are drawn closely together by a slight web, the larvae eating 

 away the surface of the leaves ; as they increase in size they quit 

 these drawn-together leaves, and spin a slight web across the twigs 

 where they spring from the main stem, and become gregarious, five or 

 six larvae sharing the same web ; in some of the younger branches 

 smaller webs are occasionally seen tenanted by two or three larva) 

 only, they issue from these webs to feed on the nearest leaves, but 

 hurriedly return to them on the slightest alarm. 



The larvce, when very young, are of a dirty greenish colour, and as they get 

 older the spots along the back begin to appear, but hardly perceptible without the 

 aid of a glass, but after the second moult the whole of the colours become brighter, 

 and when full-grown the larvae are of a dull green colour, rather velvety looking, 

 tapering towards each end, and extremely lively, the dorsal line dark, and rather 

 indistinct ; on each side of the dorsal line is a row of dull red dots, viz. : two dots 

 on each segment, one on each side of dorsal line, those on the middle segments 

 being larger and more distinct than those on the tapering ends, head yellowish- 

 brown, prolegs yellow, spotted with brown, anal legs green ; when full-grown they 

 drop to the ground and spin their long white cocoons in the dead leaves, or among 

 the rubbish, and remain in the pupa state until the following May, when they 

 emerge in a very desultory way all through the month, and far into June. 



It was during a week's visit to Ilfracombe, in the early part of 

 the month of August, 1890, that I first met with these larv», they 

 were very small, in fact not long hatched, and not recognising them, 

 just took a few to try and breed them, and later on was agreeably 

 surprised when one or two emerged and I found what they were, which 

 determined me to go again the following August to obtain a good 

 supply, and endeavour to work out their entire life history. I was 

 successful in again finding them, in all stages of growth, some full- 

 grown, others about half grown and even smaller, but the majority I 

 found were certainly not long hatched ; I took a good supply, and was 

 successful in breeding a fair number during last May and June, and 

 placed many of them in a cage with some fresh blackthorn, which I 

 kept renewed by placing fresh branches in once a week, leaving the 

 old in the cage ; I failed to get eggs, or even to see them paired, 



