50 Observations on various Insects 



little cushions : expanse of tlie wings in the male nearly two 

 inches and a half; the female is larger.* 



These moths must be sometimes very abundant. They are 

 found distributed over a great portion of the south and west of 

 England. They make their appearance in July and August, and 

 even as late as September. The males are very active, flying 

 rapidly about during the day, being incessantly in search of the 

 sluggish females, which rest concealed amongst the herbage until 

 they are imj)regnated by the males, Avhen they relieve their 

 dilated bodies of the large mass of eggs with which they are com- 

 pletely filled ; and having thus provided for a future generation, 

 the female parent dies. 



The eggs are laid singly ; they are somewhat globose, smooth, 

 yellowisli-grey, mottled with grey. The caterpillars which hatch 

 from them are little black hairy creatures, which change their 

 colour as they cast their skins, and eventually become large, hairy, 

 handsome caterpillars, full three inches long, and as thick as a 

 stout swan's-quill. They have six pectoral, eight abdominal, and 

 two anal feet : they are of a pale smoky or ochre colour ; the 

 incisures of the segments spotted with blue. The large eyes 

 appear to cover the head, and the collar is yellowish-red : the 

 spiracles are reddish. 



When they are full fed they either spin a loose silken web 

 among the dead leaves or bits of grass and herbage on the surface, 

 or they descend into the earth from one to six inches deep, and 

 there change to pupa?, enclosed in hard, oval cocoons, of a brown- 

 ish-ochre colour, remaining secure all tlie winter and spring. The 

 following summer the moth is perfected ; it bursts through its 

 shroud, and comes forth to dry and expand its wings — the males 

 making their appearance some days before the other sex, so that 

 they are strong and vigorous before they find their partners. Mr. 

 J. J. Reading, however, informs me that the eggs hatch in March, 

 that the caterpillars feed till the beginning of July, in which 

 month they change to pupae, and that the moths are produced the 

 latter end of August. These discrepancies in the periods of 

 appearance may be reconciled by the lact that the insects remain 

 sometimes in the pupa state for two years. 



If the caterpillars of L. trifolii were confined to clover-fields, 

 their ravages would be a very considerable evil, as they are some- 

 times found in great quantities on limited spots ; but few larvae 

 subsist on such a large variety of food. It has been ascertained 

 that they will feed and thrive upon various grasses, as well as upon 

 the white and red clover, bird's- foot trefoil, the plantaii?, bramble, 

 the broom, young furze-shoots, and the heath ( Calluna vulgaris). 



* Sepp's Nedcrl. Insect, vol. ii. p. 51, pi. 13 and 14. 



