WOOD LEOPARD MOTH. 



133 



The moth is said to be native of almost all Europe, and is 

 "widely distributed in this country, and specimens of this 

 attack, chiefly in caterpillar stage, are not unfrequently sent 

 me, but it is very rarely mentioned as being prevalent. In 

 1879 it was more common than usual near Maldon, in Essex; 

 and, during severe weather in the winter of that year, a few 

 specimens of caterpillars were brought to me in small boughs, 

 or rather in thick twigs, at Isleworth (near London), quite 



Zeuzeka ^sculi. — Female, head of male, and caterpillar. 



uninjured by the cold. In 1880 it was noticed as very 

 numerous at Craighall, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, many empty 

 pupa-cases being observable in young Poplars at the water's 

 edge ; and it was also observed in that year as very injurious 

 in fruit and timber trees at West Ham, in Essex (so that 

 measures were taken to destroy the caterpillar) ; but excepting 

 these observations no notes have been sent of it up to the 

 23resent time as a serious infestation. 



The moth is large and handsome ; the female from about 

 two and a quarter to two and three-quarter inches in spread 

 of the wings, the male much smaller. The wings are some- 

 what transparent, and are white with blackish or blue-black 

 spots, the spots being darkest on the fore wings, which also 

 have yellow veins. The body between the wings is white 

 spotted with black, and the abdomen grey, or grey banded 

 with black. 



It is stated that the female moths appear somewhat later 

 than the male, and may be found until the end of August. 



The eggs are laid during July, or later in the summer, in 

 crevices of the bark, and on the branches as well as the trunk 

 of the trees ; these eggs are oval and salmon-coloured, and as 

 many as three hundred have been seen laid by one moth. 



