LEAF-RATTNG CATE«PTLLA"RS. 



183 



Fig. 210. 



Moth of common vegetalle'eating CaterpiUar, 



{3Taf)nijied three times,) 



excrement being the only signs of their proseneo. Sneli grains of excre- 

 ment are often mistaken for 



eggs, though caterpillars arc 



unable to lay eggs. 



The life history of those 



insects is simple and can be 



easily traced in captivity. 



As a rule the parent moth or 



butterfly deposits a largo 



number of eggs on the leaves 



of the plants, often on the 



under-surface, singly or in 



clusters, but usually spread 



over several plants. The eggs are small and not noticed as they are 



difficult to see. In the butterflies and 

 larger moths each egg is rounded, a little 

 flattened at the base and apex, adorned 

 with sculptured lines and ribs. In the 

 smaller moths, the eggs are commonly 

 flattened, oval in outline and very 

 inconspicuous. The eggs hatch in a 

 short time, usually less than a week, 

 into little caterpillars that crawl about 

 on the plants and feed first upon the 

 epidermis of the leaves, 

 grown larger they eat holes in the leaves or eat in from 

 until the whole leaf 



Fig. 211. 



Moth of common leaf-eating Cater 



■pillar of rice. 



"When 

 the edge 

 devoured. They are voracious, a large 

 amount of plant tissue being con- 

 sumed which is only very slightly 

 digested and passes out of the body 

 as a little round grain of excre- 

 ment. Actually the greater part of 

 the food consumed passes through, 

 little more than the juice of the plant 

 being absorbed by the alimentary 

 canal. 



The first moult takes place in a 

 few days after hatching and succes- 

 sive moults occur until the cater- 

 pillar is full grown, Few of snch 



Fig. 212. 



Tufa and moth of Caterpillar that eats 



lilies. 



