56 [August, 



LIFE HISTORY OF GELECRIA BRIZELLA. 

 BT HENRY MONCREAFF. 



When full-fed the larvae are four lines long, tapering towards each end. Head, 

 and plate on second segment, shining brown ; body pale orange-coloured, a large 

 circular blotch of lighter colour covering the dorsal part of the eighth and ninth 

 segments ; skin in loose folds along the spiracles, which are pale brown ; legs and 

 claspers annulated with dark brown ; several stiff hairs on each segment. Pupa 

 light brown, the circular blotch spoken of above showing plainly through the case. 



So far back as the year 1873 I became acquainted with this larva. 

 Whilst examining sweepings from off Statice limonium, I was some- 

 what surprised to see many of the flowers apparently erect themselves 

 and walk across the paper. On examination, I found that each was 

 tenanted by a small larva, the head and first pair of legs of which 

 protruded through the small end of its ready-made case, and this led 

 me at first to think that I had discovered a new Coleophora. 



I secured a number of the larva?, together with a bunch of the 

 Statice. The larva? fed on the flowers and unripe seeds, and were 

 full fed by the end of October, when they spun together several of the 

 flowers, and formed among them a tough silken cocoon, remaining in 

 this unchanged till May, when they entered the pupa state, the imagines 

 emerging through June and July. 



This must be a semi-aquatic species, as at every spring tide the 

 marshes where it occurs, and the plants on which it feeds, are under 

 water. During the winter months the marshes are swept by the high 

 tides, and the dried flower-heads of the Statice, with other marsh 

 refuse, form large heaps at the high-water mark, among which the 

 larva? remain in their water-tight cocoons warm and secure until the 

 time of emergence. 



I am sorry to say that the marsh on which this and other species 

 occurred so abundantly has been, for some time, in process of recla- 

 mation, and now lies under some feet of harbour-mud, but I hope to 

 find it in another locality. 



Stainton, in the Manual, says, " Larva? in flower-stems of Statice 

 armeria." This plant abounds with us, but I have never found the 

 slightest trace of the larva either in the flowers or stems of that plant. 

 Has any one else ? 



High Street, Portsmouth : 



June 8th, 1881. 



